the battle has just begun
by Alix Winchester
Summary: Abigail grace is a normal teen girl who reads about all sorts of magical things to escape her boring life. But on her thirteeth birthday she finds unbelivable magic stored away inside her. Investigating where the book is staged she finds that the scorcerers are much closer than she could have thought. Should she join the battle or will it all be too much for abbi? (Cancelled)
1. the thirteenth

She glared at her hand. her middle finger pressed against her thumb, her index finger was hovering above. _You can do this_ her mind told her. She slid her middle finger down her thumb, hearing the click sound and her other finger landed on her thumb. But no spark. She sighed and readied herself for another try when her mother's voice floated up the stairs.

"Abigail grace! You get down here now! If you miss the bus I'll make you walk!" "coming mum!" she called back. She grabbed her shoulder bag from the corner of her room, filled it with the homework stacked on her desk and headed downstairs. She much preferred just Abbi. And yes she also preferred to spell it with an I. Her mum handed her a piece of buttered toast when she entered the kitchen.

"thanks mum" she said quickly before she stuffed her mouth with it. Her mum looked at her with a raised eyebrow, a look she rarely wore.

"what?" Abbi asked. "are you allowed to wear make up at school?" she asked. "mum" she groaned, placing a readied lunch in her bag.

"sorry" she said instantly. "I know I told you I wouldn't criticise your dress choices in grade seven, but did you check with the school?" Abbi sighed. All she was wearing was a smidge of eye liner, a little mascara and some natural blush.

"yes, mum. I checked." she put the rest of the toast in her mouth and closed her bag. "besides" she said once she finished chewing. "you promised I could wear whatever I want at the _start _of year seven. The year is at least halfway finished by now"

"I know" her mum repeated. "I'll stop" she shoved some things around her bag, making sure she got everything. Math homework, check. Locker key, check. Lunch,check. She had the rest of her books, pencils and her hat already in her locker at school. As an afterthought, she darted upstairs and grabbed a black and white beaded necklace. Instead of freaking her mum out more she shoved it in her bag for later, along with her phone she had got for her birthday last year. She hugged her mum and headed for the door.

"bye mum" she said.

"make good choices" she called back, Abbi smiled. She slipped out the back door and ran down the driveway where her best friend, Alice was standing already. She frowned at Alice.

"how long have you been standing there?" she shrugged.

"just got here" they began walking to the nearest bus stop, about one block from Abbi's house. "why do you think we got so much homework?" Abbi asked.

"dunno" Alice shrugged. "maybe they're trying to prove a point. Like, 'here, we will give you tonnes of homework to drown under and laugh at you when you fail your tests and there's nothing you can do about it because we are superior.'" Abbi made a face.

"that was awfully dramatic." Alice just laughed. By then they had gotten into what was like a crossroad path to the bus and they were already joined by about seven kids from their school walking in different groups. Suddenly out of things to say, Abbi began clicking her fingers. It took Alice only a moment to see what she was doing.

"Abbi" she scowled. "magic doesn't exist" Abbi had been spending all her free time either reading a fiction book about sorcerers, magic teenagers and walking,talking skeletons, or trying to practice the magic from the book.

"don't care" she said curtly. They reached the bus stop and Abbi and Alice sat on the grass next to the sign and waited for the bus. Abbi continued to click her fingers and Alice stared at her.

"you know" she said after a moment. "if magic does exist, you'll light the grass on fire." At this, Abbi smiled and stopped clicking. She looked at Alice.

"if magic was real, would you want me to tell you?" a smile flickered across her face for the smallest of moments.

"yes" there was the sound of an engine and then a brake with the light screech of tyres. The bus had arrived.

The ten minute ride to school was completely uneventful. When they hopped on they grabbed the two seats just behind the driver and each plugged their earphones into their phones and listened to their music until they got to school. When the bus stopped they pulled the earphones off, buried them in their bags and pocketed their phones. They walked to their side by side lockers and pulled out the keys. Abbi was thankful to have keys instead of combinations, she would never remember a combination. She unlocked her locker and placed her lunch inside. She collected her books for her first class and a few pencils and rested them inside her bag. When she closed her locker Alice was looking at her.

"so" she said. "what are you going to do for your birthday?" Abbi shrugged.

"mum said she planned something already but it's a surprise." Alice faked a pout.

"but I want to know _now_" the bell rang and Abbi and Alice exchanged a glace before braking into a run to their first class.

Abbi woke up on a Saturday morning unsure why today felt so special. She crawled out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. When she came out she walked out to the kitchen. she jumped back when everyone in her family jumped out from hiding places all around the room.

"happy birthday!" they all called. Her mum, dad and older brother was there. But... Her little brother- jack - climbed out from under the table and shouted,

"boo!" Abbi laughed and held out her arms for a hug.

"birthday hug?" "birthday hug!" he squealed before jumping on Abbi. She laughed as she fell. Jack climbed off her and ran off to play with something. She laughed again as she stood up. "happy birthday Abbi" her mum said with a smile before going off to find jack. Abbi grinned at the thought of being a teenager and went to find her cereal.

Abbi's phone rang at around ten thirty and Abbi smiled, picking it up.

"happy birthday" she heard Alice say.

"thanks" she said. "want to come over?"

"no" Abbi's smile faded.

"why?"

"I have a better idea" she frowned.

"what?"

"I don't want to but..."

"what!" Abbi prodded. She could be very impatient sometimes.

"we could go to Roarhaven" Abbi's jaw dropped.

"what?" "it's not that far from here, really. Don't you want to go?"

"of course I do!" Abbi had always wanted to go to Roarhaven. The sanctuary was in Roarhaven and, although it cold have moved, she wanted to go looking for it.

"I'll ask mum" she told Alice. She ran downstairs and found her mum in jacks room. "mum?" she turned.

"yes?"

"can I go to Roarhaven with Alice? I promise I'll be super safe and take my phone and stay right next to Alice the whole time. Please?" her mum frowned. "it's just a couple towns over mum" she told her. "I can walk there"

"okay" her mum said. "make sure your phone has charge and call me if you need a ride home. If you are going to be more then an hour call in every once and a while okay?" she nodded "thanks mum." her mum held up a finger.

"this one time okay? Only because it's your birthday"

"thanks mum" she headed back upstairs and pressed the phone against her ear. "I can come" "okay" said Alice. "I'll meet at your house" she hung up and found her favorite boots by the bed. They were old and almost knee high and she couldn't wear them to school so she wore them as much as she could. She pulled them on with her three quarter leggings and a new top she got today. She pushed her phone down into the side of her right boot – her favorite place to keep it- and headed down stairs. She put her purse with her pocket money in the pocket of her grey hoodie and pulled it on. The door bell rang. She went and opened it. "hi" Alice beamed. "ready?"

"almost" she told her. She went to the fridge in the kitchen and Alice shut the door and followed. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and turned to Alice. "want one?" Alice shrugged so she grabbed another one and tossed it to her. Alice caught it perfectly and they headed to the front door. "mum, we're going" she called.

"want a ride?" she asked, appearing from the lounge.

"no, we're fine" her mum handed her some money. "birthday money" Abbi smiled.

"Thanks mum" her mum waved and they left for Roarhaven.

Abbi smiled at a sign that read 'Roarhaven'. She stopped and looked around. It was exactly how she had imagined it. The town was small and dirty and unwelcome sitting next to an old dirty lake. Alice screwed up her nose.

"it was your dream to come here?" she asked. Abbi smiled.

"there" she said. A door opened at what appeared to be a main building and about five unwelcome looking people with scowls left. "that must be it" Alice made a face.

"the almighty sanctuary of a cradle of magic is is there?"

"har har har" Abbi said, rolling her eyes. "come on. Lets go" she grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her to the building. Abbi let go just as they reached the door.

"stay hidden" she whispered to Alice. Abbi opened the door and slipped inside before Alice could protest so she followed. They stayed encased in shadows for a few minutes and nothing happened. Abbi sighed and sat, staying in the shadows and began to click her fingers. Alice crossed her arms and looked away.

"can't believe I let you drag me here" she muttered.

"Alice" Abbi said, sounding afraid. She turned to Abbi.

"what?" Abbi's eyes were wide. "what?" she repeated getting afraid herself. She moved her hand in front of Alice's face and clicked her fingers. A spark flew into the air. Alice gasped and stumbled back. A section of the wall opened up and a man and a woman came out with a woman standing behind them. She looked like a secretary. They all frowned now that Alice was visible. Abbi was still hidden in the shadows. Alice's eyes widened in fear.

"what are you doing here?" she secretary asked.


	2. sneaking in the back

"I got lost" she lied easily. "am I not supposed to be here?" the secretary smiled politely.

"where do you need to be?" she asked.

"I need to get to haggard. I'm visiting my cousin there. I've never seen any of these towns. I've been looking for directions."

"haggard is a few towns over" something caught Alice's eye and she looked behind the woman, tuning out to what she was saying. She saw two people come from another corridor and walk in the opposite direction. One was a skinny man wearing a suit, she didn't see his face and the back of his head was covered by a black fedora that matched his suit. But it was the dark haired girl beside him that looked somehow familiar. They were talking but she didn't hear the words. The girl turned her head and Alice fought down a gasp. Her sister Stephanie walked away with the man in the suit.

The secretary had finished giving her directions and the other man and woman had gone. Alice nodded as if she had heard. "thanks" she said and smiled. She saw Abbi move in the shadows toward the door and Alice walked away. She opened the door and let Abbi slip by unnoticed before leaving. She waited till the door swung closed before taking Abbi by the arm and leading her down the side of the building.

"what the hell is going on!" she whisper-shouted. For the first time ever Abbi looked lost on the subject of magic.

"did you see her?"

"your sister? Yeah. Isn't she staying at Gordon's old house?" Alice nodded and took out her phone. She dialled her sisters number and waited.

"hi sis" Stephanie said after picking up the phone.

"where are you?" Alice asked.

"at my house" she said. "where are you?" Alice hesitated.

"we're in Roarhaven" at first Stephanie didn't reply.

"I have a call waiting" she said at last. "call you back" she hung up and the doors opened. They sneaked around and saw Stephanie and the man exit the building with the tall, skinny man. Her phone rang and she pulled it out of the pocket of a jacket Alice had never seen. Alice frowned. She had been talking to her when she had another call, why would her phone be in her pocket? Stephanie frowned.

"why would she be in Roarhaven?" she asked the person on the phone. Alice's eyes widened. Was she talking about her? That would mean she'd have to be talking to herself.

"right." she said to the phone. "call her back, tell her to get there. I'll be there as soon as I can and i'll text you. When I do, go to the bedroom" she hung up and turned to the man in the suit. He tilted his head.

"who is here?" he asked. He had a nice voice.

"my sister" she told him angrily.

"why?" Stephanie stopped for a moment. "oh no" she whispered.

"what?" the man asked.

"her friend" she told him. "she read some of Derek's books. The ones based on me. She must've come looking for the sanctuary." they rushed to a car parked nearby. It looked like a pretty old car. Alice had seen it lots parked at the pier. They got in and it sped off. They still never saw the man's face. They ducked behind the corner as the door opened again and Alice's phone rang. She answered after she saw the caller id was her sister. The one at home.

"hi" she said.

"Alice, can you come to my house please?" she looked at Abbi for help. 'you're home' she mouthed.

"i just got home" she said. "i was just at the edge of Roarhaven when I called."

"are you with Abbi?" she glanced up. Abbi shook her head.

no"

"can you come please? I miss you" she rolled her eyes. _Nice cover _she thought sarcasticly. Abbi nodded.

"ok I'll be there soon"

"bye" Stephanie said before hanging up. They got up and rushed to Stephanie's house. _This better be good._

They got to Stephanie's house and peered through the side windows to the lounge. What Abbi saw made her heart skip a beat. She saw Stephanie talking to herself. Not in the crazy talking when no one is listening kind of way. There were two Stephanie's standing in the lounge room _arguing._ They ducked under the window and Abbi gestured for Alice to go in.

"what are you going to do?" she whispered.

"sneak in the back. Find out what's going on." Alice made a face. It was her _by the way, magic isn't real_ face. Abbi held up a hand, concentrated and clicked her fingers. she managed to turn the spark into the smallest of flames that flickered for a moment before going out. Alice took a moment, took a deep breath and nodded.

"act natural" she told her friend. She nodded and went to the front door. Abbi looked in the window and both the Stephanie's were still there. Neither of them had on the black clothes she saw here wear at the sanctuary so she couldn't tell which was which. The doorbell rang and they exchanged a word before one of them moved to the front door and the other one went the opposite way. She followed best she could through the windows and ended up losing her. Abbi scanned the side of the house and spotted an open window on the second floor. There was a vine nearby, ivy possibly, and it looked strong enough to climb too. She moved carefully and began to climb. Before she knew it she was right beside the open window. She made sure her feet were hooked securely in the vine and reached over she got her hands in then her forearms and then she got it almost up to her armpits before she untangled her feet. She grunted as she heaved herself in. luckily, this wasn't the room the other Stephanie had gone into. She heard Alice and her sister downstairs. She also heard other voices. They were hushed but she recognised the tall man and the other Stephanie. She snuck out of the room and crept quietly down the hall to the room where she heard their voices. She didn't dare look in, and she stayed next to a cupboard door, just in case. She began to hear words.

"why don't you like me?" Stephanie's voice asked.

"because you're a cheap impression of a great girl who you tried to kill"

"but I'm fixed now"

"I don't care. You're still a cheap impression" there was silence for a while.

"I like you" she said. The man sighed. "how long do you think Alice will be?"

"I don't know" she said. " they're sisters. They'll talk forever"

"tell her I'll be at the sanctuary"

"Ok" Abbi hear a bed creak as he got up but he moved too fast and she barely got into her cupboard when he came out. She payed attention to her ears to figure out what was happening outside. He stood where he was.

"hmm" he said after a moment. He went back in the bedroom, said something and came back out a moment later. Fake Stephanie followed.

"how are you sure?" she asked.

"I am" was all he said.

"I'll go this way" she heard fake Stephanie walk down one hallway and the tall man walked down another. She turned the handle slowly and inched the door open. When the space was big enough she peered out. They were gone so she stepped out and closed the door quietly. She looked around the corner before creeping down the hallway. She peeked around the next corner before going and stopped at a half open door. She pushed it open and looked around. No one there. She looked at the papers stacked high and books all over the place there were book covers framed on the wall. Gordon's study. She turned to the bookshelf and smiled. A book lay half off the shelf. It had no title on the spine and was completely blank. The switch to Gordon's secret room. She wanted to enter but she knew that the echo stone Gordon would be there and he might warn someone of her presence. Abbi heard footsteps and panicked. She looked around. Stacks of paper, stacks of books, pencils and even what looked like a shirt in the corner. But no place to hide. The footsteps stopped outside the door. She dove at the bookcase and tugged at the book. The bookcase opened and she jumped inside. Just then she realised something. _The bookcase won't close while I'm inside._ Abbi continued to panic. She jumped up and grabbed the bookcase, pulling it. It wouldn't budge so she left the room, pushed the book in as far as it would go and jumped back in as the door closed. The study door opened just in time to see the hidden door shut but too late to see her. _Oh great._ she turned to pitch black and clicked her fingers. A spark flew but no flame came. She concentrated harder, clicked and poured all her magic into it. A misty image of Alice's dead uncle stood in front of her staring. She sagged.

"Please don't tell I was here." he continued to stare. His gaze flickered down to her hand and back up. And then the hidden door began to open.


	3. Stephanie or Valkyrie?

she let the flame die out as she dived behind a stack of old magical artefacts.

"hi, Gordon" Stephanie said. Or it could have been fake Stephanie.

"I know you're not Stephanie" he said. "you're the reflection" Abbi's heart skipped a beat. Of course. How could she be so stupid. It was the reflection all along. The reflection sighed.

"what is everyone's problem with me?"

"you tried to kill Stephanie"

"I'm fixed"

"i don't trust you" the reflection sighed again.

"anyway, what was with the door?" Abbi froze. Gordon hesitated. He was going to tell, she just knew it.

"it must be broken" he said at last. Abbi sighed in quiet relief. She heard a rustle of fabric as the reflection shrugged.

"there's someone in the house." it told him. "if you see anyone, call"

"i will" he said. The reflection stepped out into the study and the door closed. It was silent for a moment in the pitch black, then the door opened.

"hello?" Gordon called. "no one's there" she looked at the door and saw it empty. She stood, her head passed over the top of the pile.

"sorry" she said. He looked at her. "who are you?" she hesitated.

"no chosen name" she told him. He nodded.

"new to your powers?" she nodded back. "you'd better go" he warned. "if stephanie hears your here she might want to come talk to me. Especially if the reflection tells her about the door." she nodded again.

"thanks Gordon." he smiled.

"hope to see you again" she smiled back before leaving. The door closed behind her and she peeked out the study door before slipping out. Footsteps approached when she was around halfway down the hall. She looked around, panicked. There were no doors nearby. The closest one was all the way down the hall but she'd have to run, and whoever it was would definitely hear that. Plus she was sure that was the door to the lounge, no doubt where Alice and Stephanie was. The footsteps got too close and the reflection appeared around the corner just as she started to run. She heard the reflection call for skulduggery and all of a sudden she heard running footsteps from and intersecting hall. She cursed, so much for staying hidden, and ran faster. Skulduggery dived out of the hall just as the passed and followed behind her. At least they hadn't got a good look at her. She had passed the door a few times but had turned round again. With no other option she hoped they were in the kitchen so she could bolt for the front door. She burst through the door and her hopes were diminished as she ran into Alice, who was just standing up. Hands grabbed her and she was being pulled off by stephanie. She saw who she was a shoved her away.

"abbi!" she cried. "what are you doing in my house!?" the door banged open and the reflection ran in. she sagged as she saw Alice.

"sorry" she said to Stephanie. "i heard yelling and I knew Abbi was in here so I came in" Stephanie sighed. Skulduggery came in, with a face now.  
"hello" he said cheerfully. He wasn't out of breath since he had no breath in the first place and seemed perfectly normal. "not interrupting, am I?"

"no" Stephanie, or V_alkyrie _seethed. "i was just telling Abbi to _get out_."

"hey" Alice turned to her sister. "she is my best friend. If you want her to leave, i'm leaving too"

"Alice-" Valkyrie started.

"well" skulduggery cut her off,much to her annoyance. "i think we should all go now. Va- Stephanie, if you remember, we are needed at our place of work." her eyes widened.

"my god, we're late" suddenly a phone rang and skulduggery dug through the pocket of his suit. He answered and stood silent for a moment. "he wasn't there?" he asked the phone. Everyone frowned. "well" he continued. "at least there's a little good news. We'll be there soon" he pocketed the phone and Valkyrie sagged.  
"what now?" he hesitated.

"our place of work has apparently been in a terrible explosion." he said.


	4. authors note

just to clear up any confusion,everything in the books happened up til the eighth book. nothing in there happened. i let mist die because i don't like her that much and she is not important to the plot. ravel is still a traitor just took over _much _later. certain characters are still alive, no one knows china killed skulduggery's family but she still did. the danger of darquesse still remains. that's just about it. i love my readers! especially my one reader who reviews _days _after i posted the first chapter. i couldn't stop smiling for hours and remained in a permanent happy state for days! thanks!


	5. stiches

Valkyrie's eyes widened. "thirty-four mages dead, five unaccounted for and seven in critical condition. It seems ravel and ghastly were also late for the meeting and were not in the building at the time." everyone went silent for a minute.

"I knew it Alice!" Abbi suddenly shouted. Everyone looked at Alice who suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here.

"we were just leaving" Alice blurted darting for the door. Abbi, without hesitation, followed as fast as she could. Skulduggery and Valkyrie started running just as they did. Alice opened the door and one of them, Abbi couldn't see, grabbed her. Abbi continued to run. To where, she wasn't sure. Footsteps came up behind and just as she had felt the air shift right by her waist, someone about to grab her, she darted left. She glimpsed dark hair and knew it was Valkyrie. Skulduggery's current face was blond. She had almost made it to the gate when she grabbed her. They fell and rolled and her hold broke. Abbi crawled slightly while Valkyrie gathered her bearings and tried to stand up but Valkyrie grabbed her leg at the last second. She fell and without time to put her hands out, got a mouthful of dirt. Her hand was crushed between her and the ground. It stung. The Bentley pulled up next to them on it's way out of the estate. Alice was sitting in the back with her arms crossed, pouting like a child. "well" skulduggery said through the open window. "coming?" Abbi saw Valkyrie glare at him. "what about these two?" skulduggery sighed.

"we'll take them with us, I'll lock them in the car."

"what?" Valkyrie stared at him. He tilted his head.

"unless you want to babysit" Valkyrie shook her head violently. Skulduggery's seat jolted forward and his fake face frowned. He turned.

"did you just kick my seat?" he asked Alice. She glared at him.

"not a baby" she growled and kicked again.

"I wouldn't mind" he said. "if you weren't in _my_ car." she continued to glare but didn't kick again. "now" he said, turning back to Valkyrie. "in" she began to help Abbi up and she her hand to push herself up. She cried out and moved her hand. She would have fallen if it wasn't for Valkyrie holding her. She looked at her hand and her eyes widened. There was blood all over the back of her hand and she had no idea where it was coming from. Valkyrie pulled her up and checked her chest and her arm.

"can't see where its coming from" she muttered. "must just be on your hand." now that it was no longer covered by her jacket the stinging turned worse. Tears filled her vision. She heard skulduggery say something in a low voice and then Valkyrie's barley audible reply.

"cut her hand on a rock" the back door to the car opened and Valkyrie helped her in and gave her some tissues to keep it from beading too much. Abbi blinked away the tears as her door closed and Valkyrie got in her own seat. The doors locked and she looked up. They left the estate and began driving to wherever they were going. After a moment she quietly tested the lock. It wouldn't open from the back seat. Alice looked at her worriedly for the whole drive. She had looked up and mouthed_ I'm fine_ more than five times but Alice didn't seem to believe her. She gave up and began to wonder what she would be doing by now if she hadn't gone to visit Roarhaven this morning. She suddenly realised something. She reached down the inside of her right boot and her fingered her phone. She pulled her hand back out without her phone and waited to arrive at their destination. A minute later they pulled up outside an old run down cinema that had long since closed down. She smiled slightly before a pain spiked through her hand. Valkyrie helped her out of the car and they walked inside. The heavy curtains in front of the screen parted and it lit up, a black and white picture of a door flickered on the screen. Brick walls framed both sides of it. Valkyrie stayed beside Abbi who walked behind skulduggery and Alice. It took Alice a moment to walk through the screen. She looked like she was scared of running into a wall. Skulduggery disappeared right after and Valkyrie led Abbi in. as she blinked the old,dark cinema disappeared and was replaced with bright, new halls of the science facility. It was so white it nearly hurt Abbi's eyes. It didn't take them long to find Kenspekle grouse trying to explain something to Clarabelle. He gave up and waved her off. She left frowning. He saw them and sighed. "what now?" he asked, annoyed at one particular skeleton. Valkyrie held up her hands.

"not me" she said. He saw Alice and Abbi and eyed the blood on Abbi's hand before turning to skulduggery.

"Valkyrie is not enough now is she? Now you need to drag another couple twelve year olds along with you? So next time you come you'll have three more?"

"no" skulduggery said calmly. "they're not with us. This is Alice and Abbi" he said, gesturing to each of them. "Alice is Valkyrie's little sister and Abbi is her friend. They were sneaking around Valkyrie's house and Abbi cut he hand on a rock while trying to run away." he stared at skulduggery for a moment.

"get rid of that face" he said. "you look ridiculous" skulduggery reached under his collar and his fake face flowed away.

"you" Kenspekle continued, reaching to Abbi. "come with me" before they left Alice stepped forward hesitantly.

"can I come?" he watched her for a moment.

"of course" he told her. He turned to skulduggery and Valkyrie. "you can wait here" he walked them to the medical bay and told Abbi to hop up on a bed. She used one hand to help pull herself up and Alice pulled her up from the other side. Kenspekle brought over a few things and told her to put the tissues she had on her hand in the bin beside her, she did so. He cleaned up the blood and examined the cut.

"you'll need a few stitches." he muttered. Alice saw Abbi's look of terror and tried to draw her attention away from her hand by asking her what she got for her birthday. She looked away as kenspekle began to stitch the cut and answered by listing all of her presents from earlier that day. She refused to look at her hand as he began to bandage it, not wanting to see the stitches. "the stitches will dissolve as the cut heals so you can remove the bandage in around three hours. As normal, there will be no scarring." she nodded. Her hand had stopped hurting as he was stitching and didn't look like it was going to start again. The door opened and Valkyrie peered in.

"we need to go" she said. Kenspekle turned.

"is he going to drag these girls into more trouble then? So soon after last time?" she shook her head.

"they're going home as soon as possible, but for now they're our responsibility. Can she leave?" kenspekle muttered something before answering.

"she may. As long as you're sure not going to get into any fights." Valkyrie nodded and turned to the girls.

"lets go" she stepped away from the door and held it open, waiting. Abbi hopped down from the bed.

"thanks" she said. She headed for' the door and stopped. She turned.

"I'm thirteen" she told him. He looked confused. "you said before about us being twelve, I'm thirteen. So is Alice." he smiled.

"barely a difference in this world" he said. She smiled back and left, following Valkyrie down the hall to where skulduggery was waiting.

(authors note)

hello! i cannot remember what i was going to tell you at all. so i just decided to chat. can you guess what the prophecy is going to be? ( yes there is a prophecy. an awesome one too.) you might need another chapter to guess so i'll put it up as soon as i can! might be leaving my free WiFi source tonight though so you may have to wait until next weekend. i'm out of pre-written chapters now so i will have to write during the week. will miss you all! i'll try to post once more before i go tonight but if i don't you might have to wait. (sorry!) bye my beautiful readers! you've made my week!

more exclamation marks!


	6. stay, for now

They all piled into the car and skulduggery didn't lock the door this time.

"where are we going now?" Abbi asked him. He looked at her in his rear view mirror.

"you are going home" disbelief found it's way into Abbi's face and she looked to her side to see that alice was the same way. He drove into Dublin and stopped at the pier. "but-" she couldn't think of a good excuse at the moment but knew that one existed. She just had to find it.

"but-" she repeated. "Valkyrie got to come when you told her to go home!" he turned.

"that was for the sake of my hat" she glared at him for a moment and he removed his hat and held it in a tight grip.

"I'm not getting out!" she shouted at him. Alice nodded.

"neither am I!" the pairs stared at each other for a moment. Alice and Abbi glared while Valkyrie looked sternly at Alice and skulduggery, having no face, only stared at Abbi.

"it's too dangerous for you two" Valkyrie told them.

"says you!" Abbi snapped. Her sight landed on Abbi and she glared. "you started this when you were twelve." Abbi continued. "and" she added, holding her left hand up. "when you first started could you do this?" she clicked her fingers and a small flame appeared in her palm. Valkyrie started to stare at her flame, still glaring. She turned to skulduggery.

"well?" she asked. "what now?" sensing his hat was no longer threatened he sat it back on his head.  
"you still have to go home" he told them. Abbi glared and picked up her right hand, pulling at the air and making skulduggery's hat fly towards her. He gripped at it uselessly and it landed in Abbi's hand. She held it slightly closer to the flame.

"i'll burn it" he stared and moments of silence passed. She inched the hat closer and eventually he turned and started the engine. She smiled and let the flame go out as he began to drive. After a moment she perched the hat on he head and cocked it at the angle he usually kept it at. She heard Alice stifle a laugh. Valkyrie turned and when she saw the hat also struggled not to laugh. Abbi had to hold back her own laughter at their strained faces. Alice then broke out laughing followed closely by the other two. Abbi snatched the hat off her head as skulduggery turned.

"what now?" he asked, making them laugh harder.

They began to near the edge of Roarhaven and skulduggery stopped abruptly. Valkyrie cursed and a car door opened. Skulduggery got out and Valkyrie followed. Abbi and Alice exchanged a glance before opening the doors and following.

"what is it?" Abbi asked. Skulduggery was looking at a blank space ahead of him and after a moment Valkyrie did the same.

"what?" Abbi repeated. Skulduggery reached up and knocked on what seemed to be nothing but air. It sounded as if her had knocked on plastic and a deep blue colour rippled from where he touched. Alice began to poke it. Each ripple spread outwards before dissipating, like touching water. Valkyrie took hold of her wrist and moved her hand down to her side.

"back in the car" she ordered. Alice walked back to the car, grumbling, and got in.

Abbi turned to Valkyrie.

"i have to call my mum" she told her. Valkyrie looked at her for a moment. "to tell her i'll be out longer." she added. Valkyrie took another second before nodding.

"you should know what not to tell" Abbi nodded. "I'll tell her I'll be at your house for a while" she walked off the road and stood in the grass as she pulled her phone from her boot. She opened her contacts and dialled 'home'. She held the phone up to her ear as it began to ring.

"hello" her mum said.

"hi mum." she smiled as she spoke so her mum couldn't worry.

"you know Stephanie?" she could almost feel her mum nod.

"yes"

"she called Alice before and we went to see her. Can I stay at her place for the night?"

"okay, honey. Do you need to get any clothes from home? Pyjamas?"

"no thanks mum. Alice has some there I'll just borrow some."

"okay. Call if you need anything. See you in the morning"

"bye" she hung up the phone and walked back to the car. Valkyrie and skulduggery were standing near the car while Alice pouted inside. They each stood on either side of the car and had a phone to their ear. She could tell Valkyrie was talking to her mum and skulduggery seemed to be waiting for someone to pick up.

"thanks mum." Valkyrie said. "see you tomorrow" she hung up and looked at abbi.

"what did you tell her?" she asked.

"just that we went over to your house and Alice was going to stay the night" she said with a shrug. Valkyrie nodded.

"good" skulduggery hung up, looking annoyed.

"Ravel is not picking up, Ghastly's phone is off and the entire of Roarhaven is blocked off." Valkyrie sighed.

"what now?" skulduggery hesitated. A car door opened and Alice looked at them all. "am I allowed to come out?"

"no" Valkyrie and skulduggery said simultaneously.

"get back in the car" Valkyrie added. Alice scowled and climbed in. Valkyrie turned to Abbi.

"you too" she got in the back and Valkyrie and skulduggery hopped in after. He turned the car and drove in what seemed to be the direction to Haggard. His phone rang and he picked up as he drove. Abbi heard a quiet voice from the other end but couldn't make out the words. He hung up and began driving in a new direction. Abbi debated asking but Valkyrie beat him to it.

"who was that?"

"a reliable source"

"what did that reliable source tell you?"

"reliable information" she sighed and skulduggery laughed a little.

"Abbi?" he asked. "when did you discover you were magic?" she frowned.

"earlier today. Why?"

"how old are you?"

"turned thirteen today. Again, why?"

"hmm" was all he said. "there may be some people you'll need to meet."


	7. people to meet

They drove to what looked like an old wood cabin. It was falling apart, rotting and being eaten by termites. Abbi frowned. _Really?_ She thought. One glance at Alice told her she was thinking the same thing. The entered and made their way through a few rooms to a closet. There was a hole in the door that skulduggery opened. Instead of towels or brooms there were stairs. The began to descend and suddenly it all became cleaner, brighter and the old rickety wood was replaced by clean white tiles and flat concrete. They reached the bottom and it all opened into a gigantic room filled with people. About two thirds of them seemed to be around her age. A man walked by to help a boy who couldn't put out his fire.

"hello reliable source" skulduggery said as he walked by. The man smiled and nodded at them. Abbi scanned the crowd. They were all random thirteen year olds with magic. Why does she need to meet them? There seemed to be some kind of stage in the middle and that's where they were headed. There was a sorcerer standing there trying to calm down a group of the kids who were panicking for whatever reason. Skulduggery stepped up and gestured for the struggling man to leave. He smiled thankfully and left. Skulduggery crouched down closer to the panicking thirteen year olds. Abbi noticed his facade up.

"what's the matter?" he asked them. One at the front, a girl with nice blonde hair and beautiful green eyes that were widened with fear, answered for the group.

"we don't know what's going on here. What's happened to us?" Valkyrie crouched down by skulduggery and looked at the girl.

"it's okay." she said soothingly. "there's nothing wrong with you. You have magic powers. Yes?" the group nodded. "we do too. We can help you but we need to know a few things. When did you discover your powers?"

"just earlier today" the girl said. "I set fire to a horse stable. I don't know how. Someone like you came and told me to come with him. He told me he could help."

"how old are you?" the girl frowned.

"thirteen"

"the rest of you?" the rest of the group all nodded and mumbled "thirteen" Valkyrie nodded.

"turned thirteen today?" they all nodded. "hmm" Valkyrie tapped on abbi's shirtsleeve and she leaned down next to them.

"this is Abbi" Valkyrie told the kids, gesturing to her. "she turned thirteen today too. She also discovered magic today." they looked at her.

"can you tell us what's going on?" the girl asked. The group nodded and Abbi faltered.

"go on Abbi" Valkyrie told her. "you've read the books. You know what's going on." she straightened up just after skulduggery. She frowned at Valkyrie who nodded back at her. She sat on the edge of the stage and Alice slid down to join her and they began to answer questions.

They had all been in the large room with the stage for about three hours and still most of the kids with their powers had no idea what was going on. Alice tugged at her sleeve and gestured towards Valkyrie who was calling her over through the crowd.

"one second" she told the young boy she was speaking to. Jamie, his name was. She made her way through the crowd to Valkyrie.

"we should go" she told her. Abbi frowned.

"What about the rest of them?" she asked. She looked back at Jamie, who looked like he was crying. She turned back to Valkyrie as she continued to talk.

"we have at least fifty sorcerers staying for tonight. They're going to try to stop them from panicking and get them to sleep." Abbi nodded.

"better send one to Jamie over there." she said pointing over her shoulder. Valkyrie peered past Abbi and nodded. The tapped the next mage who passed and pointed at Jamie. She nodded and walked over to him. The three girls left and headed to the Bentley once outside. Skulduggery was already in the drivers seat with the engine on. He drove off when they climbed in.

"seatbelt" Valkyrie ordered.

They spent the rest of the night at Valkyrie's house after skulduggery dropped them off. They even watched a movie before falling asleep on the couch together. Valkyrie awoke with a start. The movie was still playing and was starting to get loud. She turned off the TV and walked to the kitchen. She searched around and found an unopened carton of cookies. She tore open the package and took one. Just as she began to eat, however she head the frond door open. She frowned. Could it be one of the girls? She peeked in the lounge room to find both girls still asleep on the couch. She passed quietly and headed for the front door. It was open but no one was around. She stepped out and the door closed behind her.

She whipped around, fire already in her hands and ready to battle. But what she saw next wasn't something she could battle. She wasn't even something that should exist. _But how could it be?_ She thought. _She's gone._ She realized her fire had gone out. But what use was it anyway? She smiled at valkyrie.

"long time no see" Valkyrie just stared. She shrugged. "i get it. You're speechless. That's fine. Don't have much to say anyway." valkyrie tried to scream, she tried to shout and ask how she was here. How was she not dead. All she managed was a "how...". She smiled.

"don't you worry Valkyrie. I'll be back. You'll soon know my daring tale. How I came back from the dead. All in good time" she suddenly disappeared and Valkyrie woke, gasping. Alice was looking at her with worry. Abbi was still sleeping. She was back on the couch. So it was a dream. But could it still mean anything?

She's coming.


	8. authors note storyline clear up

hello! i'm so sorry if you expected to get another chapter here but i have to discuss some storyline issues pointed out be arkham girl. i have been waiting for one of those questions acctually. i like chaleges like them. any way, as i have said this is based after book seven and nothing in book eight has happened yet. i'v decided in th story derek is kind of like gordon, writing books based on real magic. so derek knew about ravel and had written it into the storyline as an unspoken warning to skulduggery and valkyrie. ravel found out before he published it and threatened him so he didn't publish that book and val/skul never took the hint from the drafts they had read.

ravel chose an etirely new plan and began to set it in motion so to not arise suspicion. i may post a one-shot about it all later.

anyway i also wanted to say the best thanks for every one who reviewed or favourited.

jellyfishsisters, fire kitty 12,dazzaj98, of course arkham girl and lastly, royal type.

i would like to nicely ask all my readers to read royal type's book, skulduggery skits, because she told me to tell you. it is a series of one-shots about her and 'friend' doing crazy skulduggery stuff mixed in with crazy skulduggery stuff. all joking aside it is good and funny. she also told me to tell you to look at it or i will stop writing forever. (not even...) but still, is good.

i have to tell you cuz' i want to. the 'friend' metioned is in fact,(drum roll...) me! yes i am crazy! ps chapter one: was the fuzzy, i swear...

sorry did not proof read but i am tired so i will not bother. maybe later.


	9. to see a friend of mine

authors note

i'm back!

Abbi awoke to Valkyrie shaking her awake. She cracked an eyelid open and scowled.

"no" she said, closing her eyes and turning. "I'm sleeping" Valkyrie sighed. She grabbed her ankles and Abbi squealed, her eyes shooting open.

"let go!" she screamed, holding onto the couch arm. Valkyrie pulled as hard as she could, but Abbi was stubborn and strong. Alice walked in from the other room, a look of amusement crossed her face.  
"help" Valkyrie gasped, pulling again. Alice laughed.

"if she wants to sleep she gonna sleep" she said. "leave me out of it." she walked off into the kitchen. Valkyrie sighed and let go. Abbi wriggled deeper into the couch. Valkyrie walked around the front of the couch and grabbed Abbi around the waist, yanking her off the couch. She screamed landing in a heap on top of Valkyrie. Valkyrie cheered and Abbi pulled the blanket off the couch, continuing to sleep. Valkyrie sighed and wriggled out from under her. She grabbed her ankles again and began to drag her into the kitchen. Abbi didn't seem to care that time, but kept a tight hold on her blanket so it wouldn't be left behind. She screamed when they entered the kitchen and Valkyrie frowned.

"cold floor!" she shrieked. Valkyrie dragged her to the middle of the kitchen floor and let go of her ankles. There was a tap at the kitchen window and Valkyrie went to open it. Skulduggery slipped in and sat on the sill. He tilted his head at Abbi who was rolling around on the floor fake crying. Alice was standing at the counter eating a bowl of cereal and watching as well.

"cold floor" Valkyrie explained to skulduggery. He nodded.

"so" he said, turning to Alice. "are the more sane members of our group ready yet?" Abbi scowled reluctantly getting up.

"fine" Valkyrie heard her mutter. She smiled as Abbi took the blanket upstairs and struggled to hide it when she came back down. Abbi found a cereal box and filled a bowl with it before adding milk. Valkyrie found a snack bar and began to eat that. Abbi put her bowl on the sink when she finished and raised an eyebrow at her.

"that's what you have for breakfast?" Valkyrie nodded and struggled to not smile again. Alice and Abbi went to get changed and Valkyrie had slept in her protective clothes. Valkyrie saw Abbi go back in the kitchen before they left but decided not to mention it. Eventually they all got in the car and started off. Abbi watched the roads and frowned when they passed the turnoff to the back road they went to last night. Alice leant forward in her seat.

"where are we going?" she asked.

"to see a friend of mine" was all skulduggery said. She sat back, frowning, Abbi frowning also. Who did skulduggery call a 'friend of mine'? She thought back to when he had said those words to Valkyrie after they first met. Who had they seen? Her face brightened suddenly. She looked back out the window and waited. Soon enough, they pulled up to a shop that had a sign above the door. That sign read Bespoke tailors. Abbi smiled. Alice brightened having not figured before. Valkyrie said something to skulduggery in an angry, hushed tone. He shrugged and got out. Valkyrie sighed and followed. The girls hopped out and trailed after them. hearing Valkyrie still growling at skulduggery, they decided to hang back a bit. They walked into the shop and skulduggery shrugged a bit. A bell dinged somewhere and there was movement in the back.

"be there in a moment" a voice called. Abbi had a last second idea and leaned over to Alice.

"don't stare" she whispered. Alice frowned at her.

"hmm?" ghastly bespoke walked in and Alice stared for only a second before looking away. They were both hiden behind skulduggery and Valkyrie anyway. They heard ghastly greet the two with a smile in his voice.

"what brings you?" he finished. Valkyrie sideways glanced at skulduggery and they both side stepped, revealing the girls. He looked at them for a moment and smiled.

"new friends?" he asked. His question was directed to skulduggery but he didn't take his eyes off them.

"old ones actually" skulduggery told him. "to Valkyrie at least. New to magic" Abbi sideways glanced at Alice. She was staring again. She sighed inaudibly.

"right" ghastly started. "so, they are going to trail after you now? You want clothes for them?" Valkyrie glared at skulduggery again when he nodded.

"yes actually." ghastly looked them up and down.  
"okay" he said, moving to the back. Alice finally stopped staring to look at Abbi.

"doesn't he need to take measurements or something?" Abbi shook her head. They all followed to the back and a thought struck her. If they were getting clothes then they were going to join the team. That meant she needed a chosen name. She thought about that for only a moment before she looked up. Ghastly was looking at some materials.

"ideas?" he asked looking over at them. Alice stopped staring and walked over to a wall filled with materials. She started running her hand along them and took a good long look at the colours. Ghastly smiled at Alice and turned to Abbi.

"ideas?" he asked again. She shrugged and looked at Valkyrie.

"would you mind if I got one like yours?" Valkyrie still had her black jacket with the deep red arms. She glared at her for a second before shrugging herself.

"fine" she told her, looking away. Abbi grinned and looked at ghastly. He nodded and moved to a different part of the wall, pulling down a few rolls of materials. Abbi looked down at her jacket she had slipped on this morning. She really loved this jacket. She had gotten it for her tenth birthday but it was a little big for her then so it still fit nicely. She was going to miss it, but she knew she could do better with a new one by ghastly.

Ghastly came back and smiled at her.

"shall we get boots while Alice thinks for a bit?" Abbi found herself smiling as she nodded. He led her into another, smaller room nearby. She looked around. The walls were laden with tools and more things she could not name than ones she could.

"just black?" he asked her. She nodded.

ghastly made her a pair of boots and then some for Alice. She showed him what she wanted and he placed the rolls of materials to the side and skulduggery told him they needed to head off. Alice had not let Abbi or Valkyrie see what she had wanted. She told them it was a surprise. They got back in the car and drove away. He drove back to the middle of nowhere place and entered the wood cabin. They descended and found it much quieter than last time. Almost all heads turned when they entered. Everyone seemed to be much more calm. Wordlessly, the group split, heading different ways. Abbi turned to see that they had apparently split into pairs. Valkyrie followed her and she saw Alice and skulduggery together further away in the crowd. All of a sudden the quiet was broken by panicked squeals. Abbi's heart leaped. Her and Valkyrie hurried over to the source an found a group of girls fleeing from another girl. She seemed more panicked than anyone, however. Abbi couldn't find anything out of the ordinary until she noticed the girl's hand start to glow. Her eyes widened and she held her hands to the roof so she wouldn't hit anyone. Valkyrie rushed forward and pulled her hand down, keeping it pointed to the roof. She pulled something from her pocket. it looked like a gold bangle that was split and had a hinge of some sort on the other end. She clicked it around the girls wrist and she glow subsided. Abbi noticed for the first time the sigils carved on the bracelet. Undoubtedly the same sigils as on the shackles that bound magic. Valkyrie put her hand down and tried to get her to calm down. Abbi watched still shocked at what had happened until the girl had calmed down. Valkyrie walked back over and passed her, continuing on. Abbi followed looking at the shocked crowd. Everyone stared at the poor girl who sat alone against the wall with her head down. Abbi glanced at Valkyrie and then at a random part of crowd. She stopped. Everyone still stared at the girl, except for one of them. One boy wasn't looking anywhere near the other girl. He was looking at her. He was around her height, had dark brown eyes like Valkyrie and his hair was a dark, dark black. he- wait. Abbi frowned His hair was starting to get lighter as she watched. It turned blonde and Abbi could swear she saw sparks in it. A boy next to him looked at his hair and whispered in his ear. His eyes widened and he turned, ran off into the crowd.

"coming?" Valkyrie said from her elbow. Abbi hadn't even seen her approach. She shook her head and looked over.

"yeah" she muttered. She followed Valkyrie into the crowd.

authors note

hi, sorry for the wait. i stopped writing for a while but decided to post since i have only had eight views since the start of January. and i miss you all! i miss your lovely reviews! i wanted to ask, can anyone tell me what they want Alice's jacket to look like? i couldn't think of anything. so it's a 'secret' so far. i also need a chosen name for Alice, i already have one for Abbi. any story line questions i would love! i love to ponder them and fit them all in. it's fun for me.

well i think that is all, so, until next time!

-iris


	10. micheif and mirrors

She searched for the boy who had been watching her as she wandered. going where needed, helping skulduggery and Valkyrie try to piece together clues as to how this many kids happened to have gained magic on the same day, and was strangely all of their birthdays. It was just weird.

Abbi was helping Valkyrie teach someone how to control their powers when her phone rang. She frowned before checking it. Abbi's heart leaped and she panicked when she saw 'mum' written on the screen. She quickly showed Valkyrie.

"just answer it" she said quickly. Abbi tapped the screen and put the phone to her ear.

"hi mum" she answered.

"hi honey" her mum said. Abbi could hear her smile. "just reminding you that you have to be home today, you have school tomorrow" Abbi sighed.

"i know mum, I'll be home later." she was about to say goodbye, that she had to go when her mum noticed the noise in the background.

"where are you?" she asked Abbi. "it shouldn't be that loud at Stephanie's should it?" she joked. Abbi laughed.

"no" she said. "we're just.." she paused. Where would they go on a Sunday that would be that loud?

"we're shopping" she said quickly.

"really?" her mum asked.

"yeah, we should be home soon"

"ok, can I talk to Stephanie?" Abbi frowned.

"okay" she said, lowering the phone.

"she wants to talk to you" she said, handing the phone to Valkyrie.

"excuse me" she said to the boy she was talking to. She took the phone and began talking as she moved away. Abbi continued to help the boy until Valkyrie came back.

"we should go now" she said quietly to Abbi. She nodded.

"do you want us to send someone else over to help?" she asked the boy. He shook his head.

"no" he said. "I'm fine" Abbi smiled at him and walked away.

They joined skulduggery and Alice and headed out to the car. The drive back home was short and Abbi was home fast.

"bye" she said, as she got out. Alice waved back and then frowned, checking her pockets. She cursed as Abbi spun and ran to the house. Alice jumped out and chased her. She ran inside and Alice came back to the car.

"any chance I can go in her window for a moment?" Valkyrie frowned and skulduggery tilted his head.

"why?" he asked. Alice sighed.

"she stole my phone" skulduggery laughed before stopping suddenly. He checked his pockets.

"okay we're going inside" he said opening the door.  
"why?" Valkyrie asked, grinning. She already knew the answer. She got out too.

"check _your_ pockets then" skulduggery said to her. She stuck her hand in her pocket and her grin faded.

"son of a-! how!" she cried. Skulduggery shushed her.

"abbi's parents are probably inside" she scowled and walked around the back of the house. They located her bedroom window and Valkyrie propelled herself up and sat on the sill. She found that abbi's window was not closed properly and got inside. Abbi was not up yet. Skulduggery sent Alice up and I helped her up. Skulduggery came up next and Alice sat on the bed. After Valkyrie and skulduggery hid the door opened. She walked in smiling and her face went black when she saw Alice. she closed the door without looking back.

"I'm sorry okay" she tried.

"you'd better be" the voice came from behind her. She spun, eyes wide and Valkyrie slammed her back against the wall. She held Abbi's hands by her sides and skulduggery stepped up beside her. He held his hand out.

"I'd like my phone back please" Valkyrie let her go and she stayed against the wall.

"sorry" she said pulling It out of her pocket. She handed Valkyrie hers before she asked and then stepped over to the bed to give Alice's back. She sat on the bed next to her.

"while your here..." she started.

"no" skulduggery said immediately. She frowned.

"but I didn't ask yet" skulduggery nodded.

"yes, how rude of me. Go on"

Abbi hesitated. "can i-"

"no" she scowled. Skulduggery laughed. "fine what"

"can I have a reflection" she said quickly before she was once again interrupted. Skulduggery froze and Valkyrie began to glare at the wall so fiercely she Abbi thought the wall would crumble.

"okay" skulduggery said eventually. Valkyrie snapped her head towards him.

"are you _insane_?"

"maybe" she scowled. Skulduggery went to the car for a moment and returned with a piece of chalk and a piece of paper.

"i think you know what to do" she nodded, smiling and walked to the wardrobe. She had one like Valkyrie's. She opened it up and drew the symbol. She then recited the spell she had memorised from the book. She had tried this spell many times but did not know what the correct symbol was.

"surface speak, surface feel. Surface think, surface real." she looked to skulduggery to see if she did it right. He nodded.

"nicely done" she grinned and wiped the symbol off with her sleeve. She hesitated before reaching out slowly, her finger lightly grazed the surface and her reflection blinked, looked around. She stepped back.

"come out" she ordered. The reflection obeyed. She just couldn't stop grinning. She looked at skulduggery.

"Can I come back with you then?" she asked.

"it can go to school tomorrow can't it?" Valkyrie was still scowling and skulduggery nodded. She noticed Alice had gotten up from the bed and turned, she was peering closely at the reflection.

"hello" she said to it. It blinked at her.

"hello" It responded. A frowned.

"that's a bit creepy" I muttered.

"can we go?" she asked skulduggery but kept her gaze locked on the refection. It was now looking at her.

"let's" skulduggery responded. He walked to the window and put his legs through before dropping. Valkyrie followed and Abbi moved to the window. She looked back to see Alice poke the reflection.

"Alice" Abbi snapped. "don't poke it" Alice walked over to her and jumped out the window. Abbi perched herself on the window and remembered what Valkyrie had said to her reflection when she left the first day.

"bye" was all she said to it. It stared at her for a moment.

"bye" It said back. She swung her legs outside and hesitated. She turned, the reflection was still staring at her.

"be normal" she said. It nodded and she dropped. Valkyrie cushioned her fall with the air and they headed tot he car skulduggery and Alice were already in.

"can I have a reflection?" Alice asked as they reached the car.

"that's where we are going" skulduggery replied. He started the car after Abbi and Valkyrie were buckled in. they headed to Alice's house.


	11. authors note (help needed)

just asking, i have no idea what to write for the next chapter. if you don't mind spoilers for this book private message me and i will tell you the options i was thinking for the next chapter. i can not update until i decide and help would be appreciated. you also have to be willing to keep this a secret and not use it your self. i will not be happy. i may send skulduggery or Valkyrie after you. (they are my good friends.) thanks for your support on the story so far.

-iris


	12. Blood

While Alice fixed up a reflection Skulduggery got a phone call from Ghastly. It sounded pretty urgent apparently. So they drove quickly and when they pulled up at Ghastly's shop they were still calm. That was, until they heard the crashes from inside. They burst through the front door of the shop and looked around. It was suddenly silent and they couldn't see ghastly anywhere. They spread out, skulduggery and Alice went to the bedroom while Valkyrie and Abby entered the kitchen. They began their silent search. Abby stepped around the corner and paled.

"oh my god…" Valkyrie looked up immediately. She came over and gasped. Abby noticed her go quite pale too.

"sk- sku- skull-" Abby began to stutter. Her breathing increased when Valkyrie knelt down beside the body on the floor. _Oh my god _Abby thought._ The blood… so much blood._ Her heart pounded in her ears as Valkyrie turned the man on the floor. _Ghastly _Abbi heard screaming and Valkyrie looked at her. She looked like she was about to stand but stopped when she saw the blood she had got on her hands. She realised _she _was screaming and the sound cut off, followed by a surprising sob. Skulduggery burst in and got to the counter in a matter of seconds. Abby was backing away from the counter when Alice walked in. Her eyes darted first to Abby and then to Valkyrie. Her eyes widened at the blood on Valkyries hands as she stood.

"Alice, here, now." Skulduggery ordered. She walked over to him and he gave his phone to her.

"Call Kenspeckle" she nodded and searched through the contacts quickly. She found the number and dialled. Abby could only faintly hear the other side of the call as the phone was picked up.

"What now?" grouse answered, not bothering to say hi. He thought skulduggery was calling.

"Quick." Alice started. "We came to Ghastly's shop and he's on the floor…." Her lips moved but her voice cut out. She stopped trying after a moment and a sob escaped her.

"Alice? What happened?" Alice started making a bizarre squeaking sound. "Alice calm down. Now tell me, what happened?"

"Blood." Was all she said. "So much blood… I don't know where it's coming from. Please, Quick. Can you get to Ghastly's shop?"

"I'll be there as fast as I can" the phone cut out and the dial tone rung around the kitchen. It took Alice a moment to turn it off. Abbi realised she had reached the wall and had sat against it. She was curled into a fetal position and had her hands on her head. _The blood_. **It's not like you've never seen blood before.** If Abbi hadn't been frozen in place she would have frowned. Where did that come from? She had only heard it in her head, so no one said it. But she didn't think that. It was as if she wasn't alone in her head, and that other person was speaking for the first time. Cruel laughter ringed out in her head and she grimaced. A sudden headache pounded and then, voices.

"Abbi?" someone called. "Abbi, are you okay?" she slowly lifted her head out of her hands. A girl was sitting in front of her. Her hair was an obviously unnatural shade of blue and she was frowning at her. _Clarabelle. _

"Your nose is bleeding" she told her. Abbi frowned and looked at her hands. She had blood on them.

"oh…" she muttered unintelligently. Valkyrie kneeled down beside Clarabelle and handed her a tissue.

"Are you okay?" Abbi frowned as she took the tissue and pressed it against her nose.

"um…" was all she said. She noticed her hands were shaking.

"Abbi?" Valkyrie asked as if she had just said something. "what's wrong with you?" A black figure was standing behind Valkyrie.

"what's… that." Her words were slow and it sounded like she was drunk. Clarabelle turned while Valkyrie frowned. She turned as well before turning back to her.

"There's nothing there" she told Abbi. Abbi frowned, then blinked and the figure was gone. She felt light headed and then her vision went black.


	13. Making the call

**OMG i feel so bad now! In my defence, I wrote the last chapter while I was half asleep and I was in a bad mood. I thought about it later and thought O.M. gosh. Anyway, I am going to try my best to get on with the story, but I am in high school now! It's hard to write during anytime really. I'm so sorry. Because I feel bad he might get better. He will be avenged!**

Abbi sat on a bed in the medical bay. Clarabelle came by a few times to check her, apparently she was also a scorce of worry for the rest of the group. They were all in the waiting room, they weren't even allowed in emher /emroom. Alice came in for a moment and told her all that she knew, someone broke in to Ghastly's shop and had only just escaped as they got there. He was stable for now, but had lost a lot of blood. Tanith had come seconds after being on the phone with skulduggery. That was all Abbi knew. She hadn't even met Tanith yet.

Abbi sighed and stood. She didn't care anymore. She was leaving, and not through the front door. She searched the room. It was obvious that there would be another hidden exit somewhere. She ran her hand against the side of the wall. Sooner than she had thought, something gave way. Despite the current situations she smiled lightly when a door slipped open. She picked up her jacket and left. She had her phone, she had inputted her number in skulduggery's and valkyrie's phones that time she had taken them. If they needed her. Like, _really _needed her. They could always call.

She had walked. She walked to her house, but stopped under her window. Her mum would notice, she would see the sadness in her eyes. So she turned, grabbed her bike from the shed near her window. Her own little shed. She rode through town, not knowing where she was going. Eventually she found herself in Roarhaven, and then at Ghastly's shop.

She entered, keeping away from the kitchen. She wandered a moment and then into the back room where the sewing things were. A stack of material caught her eye, and she realised it wasn't just material, it was the clothes. Abbi forced herself to smile, not minding how weak it was. She looked, and they were hers. She took them and found a bathroom. After changing quickly, she admired how well they fit, and then admired them in a mirror. The trousers were black jeans made out of bullet proof protective material, the shirt was plain black, sleek, and sleeveless. The jacket was best though. It was quite close to valkyrie's, but still so different. The red on her sleeves extended across her chest, like two diamonds joining in the middle. She sighed and left the shop, taking her old clothes. She got on her bike and rode away, readying herself to look normal. She wanted dinner with her parents

It was starting to rain by the time she got home, she put away her bike and pulled out a ladder to climb to her window. After getting up, she sat on her window sill and pushed the ladder over into the bushes. She stepped in and shivered from the rain. The rain didn't soak through her clothes but it wet her hair and coated her clothes. Her reflection looked up from her desk.

"Hello" it said.

"Hi" she answered curtly. Abbi opened her mouth to say something but her phone rang. She pulled it out her pocket and read the caller ID before answering.

"Hi" she said flatly.

"Where are you?" skulduggery almost growled his question.

"Why, in my room Mr Skully P. where are you?"

"Never call me that again. How long have you been gone?" She shrugged before realizing he couldn't see her.

"'bout an hour maybe."

"Come back"

"No"

"Now"

"Why" she heard his sigh before his answer.

"The sanctuary ran some extra tests on you when they were doing their check-up. You need to come back now"

"Again, why?"

"NOW" Abbi's heart was pounding. What was going on? She decided her answer and she decided it quick.

"No" she hung up before she heard his angry reply.

"I have to go" she told the reflection.

"You just got here"

"I know" Abbi snapped. "If skulduggery comes, pretend to be me"

"Reflections don't fool sorcerers"

"I know" the reflection stayed silent for a moment before nodding. It passed her a sandwich that was sitting on her desk.

"And maybe take your purse" Abbi raised an eyebrow and took the sandwich. She grabbed her small backpack and tossed her purse in and followed it with her pendant necklace, some spare clothes and a bone white card she found in valkyrie's pocket when she took her phone. She jumped out the window and did her best to cushion her fall. Knowing her bike wouldn't be enough, she dug around the shed until she found what she was looking for. Grinning, Abbi sped off on her own dirt bike. She wasn't allowed to ride it often, but no one went through her shed, so who would know?

She stopped outside Roarhaven. The shield was still up, and still no one knew why. She dug out the card and dialled the number.

"Who is this?" China answered.


	14. The turn

"Who is this?" China answered.

Abbi hesitated. "You hear rumours right?"

"yes." China said slowly.

"I'm the new member in skulduggery's amazing little group, and I want to hide from him. Thought you could help." The line was silent for a long moment. "Can you keep this a secret?" Abbi asked. Still silence. Just as she was wondering if the line cut out she got her answer.

"Where are you?"

Abbi told china where she was and China gave her directions to the library from there. Abbi hung up and thought for a chosen name on the way there. She couldn't be controlled like Valkyrie was when she was Stephanie.

She was just pulling up when a ramp opened near the building. Must be china's secret passage for her car. She pulled in and switched off the engine, keeping her headlight on.

"China." Abbi called. "I can see you." China stepped from the shadows, nodding slightly in approval.

"Good eyes."

"Not really" China waved Abbi in and she turned off the light on her bike and followed. A door opened and they ascended the steps and up to her apartment from the cupboard door. Abbi looked around warily as she followed China to her apartment door. They stepped in and China sat. She gestured to the seat across from her. Abbi reluctantly sat.

"So" China started. "Do you care to tell me why exactly you are running from Skulduggery? You know he can find you anywhere you go." Abbi nodded.

"That's why I came here. Alice and Valkyrie know me, and coming here isn't something I would do. So I did it" it was China's turn to nod

"What if they know you'll come here because it's not like you to come here." There was a knock on the door and they looked up. China waved her hand from where she sat and the door became transparent. Valkyrie stood at the door and said a couple words to skulduggery. He said some things back, and then entered the library door across the hall. Valkyrie stayed. China looked at Abbi and smiled.

"Abbi" she spoke in a demonically kind voice and Abbi's insides went cold. "Go to the bedroom, get under the bed and stay absolutely silent, and don't move." Abbi's insides went cold. _Damn,_ she stood and made her way to the bedroom and then under the bed. She heard China open the door and then Valkyrie's voice.

"Hello China. I feel it is necessary to tell you that we have been to see Cassandra."


	15. From the person recently know as

Abbi froze. She knew. Valkyrie knew. She was going to find her. She was so stupid to come back here. Her head swam. More words were spoken from both of the girls outside, but Abbi couldn't focus on the words. Valkyrie's voice got closer, and then china's and china was using a threatening tone. Then her head stopped, pin pointed on one thought, and china's control was broken. She climbed quickly out of the bed. There was a notepad sitting on the bedside table. She grinned slightly as she scrawled a quick note. She slipped out the window and manoeuvred towards the lower level. From there she climbed back in and into the hallway. She found the way back to China's secret parking garage and jumped on her bike, started it up. She scowled when she realised she had no idea how to open the ramp. She scanned the wall, found where it was and rested her hand against the rock.

"Please work" she whispered. She concentrated hard and the wall started to crack, crumble, and fall into dust that coated her bike. She walked her bike down the ramp and approached another wall. She did the same to this wall and then rode off, fast as she could. She reformulated a new plan. She couldn't run from skulduggery and Valkyrie forever. She knew that much. But long enough.

Valkyrie hopped out the Bentley and joined skulduggery as he started the steps inside to China's apartment. Cassandra had called, told them it was urgent. This was just after Abbi had hung up on Skulduggery. So they drove to her house and she showed them her vision. Abbi was heading to china, seeking refuge from them. They had decided in the vision to go get her from there but then China turned. She had ordered Abbi to stay out of sight, but that was when the vision ended. They had to get there fast.

So Valkyrie knocked on China's door. Exchanged a few words with skulduggery, as they had in the vision, then he moved off to the library. She stood, knowing that right now Abbi would be crawling under the bed, because she had to. China opened the door.

"Hello china, I feel it is necessary to tell you that we have been to see Cassandra." China smiled a tight smile that Valkyrie almost mistook for a genuine smile.

"Why would I need to know that?" she asked convincingly.

"oh China, we know you have her."

"Who"

"Abbi"

"Don't know who she is" Valkyrie sighed and moved towards the bedroom. China stepped into her path just before she got to the door.

"Haven't you ever heard of privacy?" she growled resting a hand on Valkyrie's arm.

"Haven't you ever heard of Skulduggery Pleasant?" China paled and removed her hand.

"Nonetheless, you need a sanctuary permit to enter someone's home without permission."

"I've already come in." China narrowed her eyes and a bang came from the bedroom. China turned her head and cursed. The two of them barged in the bedroom to find the window opened and the curtains flowing freely. They were both aware that the window was not open a moment ago. Valkyrie checked under the bed. She cursed and stood. A white piece of paper caught her eye. She narrowed her eyes and picked up the page, China stood beside her and read over her shoulder. Valkyrie sighed and shook her head.

_Oh China, you didn't think I wouldn't have a chosen name before coming to you? How silly I would be. Sorry Valkyrie, I'm out of reach by now. I know I have had nowhere near as much experience you have had with this kind of thing, but at least I know how to make an awesome getaway. _

_From; the person recently know as Ivy._

Skulduggery entered the apartment with Alice.

"I just saw Abbi's bike leaving the library." Alice informed Valkyrie "we gotta go" Valkyrie shook her head, starting towards the door.

"no." she said. "Ivy's bike" Alice frowned at her. "I'll tell you in the car" Valkyrie added. Then they were gone, and China stood there, seething.


	16. Home

Of course she could've had better ideas than this, but it was the first idea she had and, while she may get caught, she at least wanted one day to test her idea. Ivy climbed the ladder by her window, sat on the sill, and pushed it into the bushes. Is was a little past Two AM, and she was tired. She was also thankful that the ladder was close to silent and it fell in the bushes. She swung her legs into the dark bedroom and stepped in. the reflection sat up in her bed looked over at her.

"Hello" it said. Ivy nodded back.

"Are you tired?" It asked. Ivy nodded again.

"Are you ready to resume your life?" Ivy nodded and gestured to the mirror. The reflection got out of bed, walked over and stepped into the mirror. It turned waiting patiently for Ivy to touch the mirror. She sighed and rested a finger against the mirror. She absorbed two days' worth of memories. Ivy sighed and sat down on the bed. She was to tired to sort through the memories now, so she pulled off her boots, lay down and pulled the covers over her. She sighed in content and drifted off to the welcome embrace of sleep.

Ivy woke to her school morning alarm. What a terrible sound that was. But she was glad to be back to her normal routine. At least for one day. She eventually sat up, and found her school dress. She went to the bathroom to change and then went downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast she went back upstairs with half an hour left to gather her things. She grabbed her bag and found everything was already packed inside, even a ready-made lunch. She smiled and went back downstairs to say goodbye to her parents and walked to the bus stop.

Someone sat down on the grass next to her and she looked up to see Alice's refection sitting beside her. _Uh oh_ she thought. _Maybe she'll think I'm the reflection._

"why are you back but Abbi isn't?" it asked, keeping it's voice low. Ivy sighed.

"They don't know I'm back" she said to it. "and don't tell Alice" the reflection hesitated.

"okay" it said. "but I can't keep her from finding out if she sees my memories." Ivy nodded and waited for the bus, hoping this could be a normal day.

The school day went smoothly, but Ivy still had no idea what her next move would be. She began to wonder if there were any books about her situation in the school library. There were books on _ everything_ in her library. Why wouldn't there be one about deciding how to run away from her best friend who knew her better than she did and the best detective in the world? Oh…

"Hello Ivy" someone said from behind.


	17. Captured

"Hello Ivy" someone said from behind. Her heart stopped, She was about to turn when a hand was placed on her arm. _Not skulduggery_ was her first thought. No, the hand was flesh and blood. This was someone else. She turned slowly and came face to face with Valkyrie. _Damn._

"Please try not to make a scene" Valkyrie told her. "Enough people are looking as it is." Ivy stared.

"how…" she whispered.

"well" Valkyrie begun. "I only needed to ask Alice where your favourite place was. Home. But if you went home you would have to go to school. And here you are. Sorry to say Alice couldn't come. We couldn't risk meeting her reflection or even someone seeing her out of uniform. So, now that I've explained, coming?" Ivy hesitated, but Valkyrie was right. She couldn't make a scene. She sighed.

"fine" Ivy huffed. "But mum will know if I don't go to my last class." She told Valkyrie. She nodded.

"Skulduggery's got your refelction in the car with her school clothes on."

"but how-"

"Just a little mirror hack we know of"

Valkyrie led her out of the school grounds and towards the Bentley that was parked out front. Ivy grudgingly into the back seat. The reflection sat beside her. She swapped places with the reflection and it got out and walked to the school grounds. Ivy sighed as they pulled away. She was in trouble now.

Ivy woke and lifted her head. She sighed. She was tied to a kitchen chair in Skulduggery's living room. Of course it was a bad idea to fall asleep in the car. She scanned the room and saw Alice sitting on the couch. She was watching the door, but of course she was here to keep an eye on her. She glanced out the window and saw the sunset. It would be about six or seven then. _Good to know you screwed up again._ Ivy frowned. What is that? Ivy looked over at Alice just before she looked up at her. Ivy smiled at her, but Alice stayed silent and completely still. After a moment she got up and walked to the kitchen. Ivy heard mumbled words and then Alice came back with Skulduggery, Valkyrie and a tall blonde girl wearing brown leather from head to toe. If I can't be the good guy, may as well be a good bad guy, Ivy thought. She smiled slightly.

"Hello Tanith. Valkyrie, Skulduggery." Her gaze landed on Alice, who now had a scowl on her face. "Alice" Ivy said, as if dissapionted. "I thought we were friends?" Alice shook her head.

"I was friends with Abbi" she said. "But I don't know if I can trust _you_ yet." Skulduggery stepped in before Ivy could respond.

"Why wouldn't you just come back?"

"Why am I tied up?"

"I asked first"

"I asked second"

"We can't trust you" Ivy paused a moment. "Now it's your turn" Skulduggery continued. "I need an answer" Ivy frowned in thought.

"I didn't know what to expect. The day before had been the day I found out magic was real, the first time I saw Ghastly was… Not a time I wanted to and then you worried me more than anything else." Silence followed her reply while everyone digested this information. Ivy suddenly felt bad about bringing up Ghastly when she saw the hurt in Tanith's eyes. Although she did a good job at keeping the emotion out of the rest of her expression.

"I gave you an answer" Ivy continued. "Can you trust me _now_?" Skulduggery shook his head.

"It's not that simple"

"What is it then?" Skulduggery hesitated. "What is it!?" Ivy asked louder.

"We don't know" He answered. Ivy froze. "It's something inside you and it's dangerous. We do know it awakened on your Thirteenth birthday, but that is all we have." Ivy looked down at her lap.

"Can we find out what it is?" More hesitation.

"We're not sure." Valkyrie spoke up. "But some sanctuary scientists have set up in Kenspecles medical center. They have some tests they can run, maybe narrow it down." Ivy sighed, then nodded.

"I want to know"

**OH MY GOSH I TRIED COFFEE THIS MORNING AND I LOVE IT! COFFEE IS YUM. I HAD SOME JUST NOW AND I MAY NOT SLEEP LATER 0_0**

**it was decaf by the way, just saying. Since i seem to be getting so many views i want to promote my favorite story's on fanfiction. there is 'skulduggery skits' by 'royal type', and then 'Pleasantly raising cain' and 'Hunt of the dead men' by 'Deadgirl19'. both 'pleasantly raising Cain' and 'Skulduggery skits' are both drabbles and are both very very funny. 'Hunt of the dead men' is a story in which the dead men have been blamed for not stopping Darquesse and they are being hunted by the sanctuary. all thoose story's are awesome and i encourage you to read them.**

**Thank you so much for all your veiws and lovely reveiws! Shout out to Sage Chia, you made me want to post more chapters just to see your reviews. please review and give ideas if you have any. even giving me new characters. i will be sure to add them in if i can.**


	18. the tests begin

"Hello Ivy" someone said from behind. Her heart stopped, She was about to turn when a hand was placed on her arm. _Not skulduggery_ was her first thought. No, the hand was flesh and blood. This was someone else. She turned slowly and came face to face with Valkyrie. _Damn._

"Please try not to make a scene" Valkyrie told her. "Enough people are looking as it is." Ivy stared.

"how…" she whispered.

"well" Valkyrie begun. "I only needed to ask Alice where your favourite place was. Home. But if you went home you would have to go to school. And here you are. Sorry to say Alice couldn't come. We couldn't risk meeting her reflection or even someone seeing her out of uniform. So, now that I've explained, coming?" Ivy hesitated, but Valkyrie was right. She couldn't make a scene. She sighed.

"fine" Ivy huffed. "But mum will know if I don't go to my last class." She told Valkyrie. She nodded.

"Skulduggery's got your refelction in the car with her school clothes on."

"but how-"

"Just a little mirror hack we know of"

Valkyrie led her out of the school grounds and towards the Bentley that was parked out front. Ivy grudgingly into the back seat. The reflection sat beside her. She swapped places with the reflection and it got out and walked to the school grounds. Ivy sighed as they pulled away. She was in trouble now.

Ivy woke and lifted her head. She sighed. She was tied to a kitchen chair in Skulduggery's living room. Of course it was a bad idea to fall asleep in the car. She scanned the room and saw Alice sitting on the couch. She was watching the door, but of course she was here to keep an eye on her. She glanced out the window and saw the sunset. It would be about six or seven then. _Good to know you screwed up again._ Ivy frowned. What is that? Ivy looked over at Alice just before she looked up at her. Ivy smiled at her, but Alice stayed silent and completely still. After a moment she got up and walked to the kitchen. Ivy heard mumbled words and then Alice came back with Skulduggery, Valkyrie and a tall blonde girl wearing brown leather from head to toe. If I can't be the good guy, may as well be a good bad guy, Ivy thought. She smiled slightly.

"Hello Tanith. Valkyrie, Skulduggery." Her gaze landed on Alice, who now had a scowl on her face. "Alice" Ivy said, as if dissapionted. "I thought we were friends?" Alice shook her head.

"I was friends with Abbi" she said. "But I don't know if I can trust _you_ yet." Skulduggery stepped in before Ivy could respond.

"Why wouldn't you just come back?"

"Why am I tied up?"

"I asked first"

"I asked second"

"We can't trust you" Ivy paused a moment. "Now it's your turn" Skulduggery continued. "I need an answer" Ivy frowned in thought.

"I didn't know what to expect. The day before had been the day I found out magic was real, the first time I saw Ghastly was… Not a time I wanted to and then you worried me more than anything else." Silence followed her reply while everyone digested this information. Ivy suddenly felt bad about bringing up Ghastly when she saw the hurt in Tanith's eyes. Although she did a good job at keeping the emotion out of the rest of her expression.

"I gave you an answer" Ivy continued. "Can you trust me _now_?" Skulduggery shook his head.

"It's not that simple"

"What is it then?" Skulduggery hesitated. "What is it!?" Ivy asked louder.

"We don't know" He answered. Ivy froze. "It's something inside you and it's dangerous. We do know it awakened on your Thirteenth birthday, but that is all we have." Ivy looked down at her lap.

"Can we find out what it is?" More hesitation.

"We're not sure." Valkyrie spoke up. "But some sanctuary scientists have set up in Kenspecles medical center. They have some tests they can run, maybe narrow it down." Ivy sighed, then nodded.

"I want to know"

**OH MY GOSH I TRIED COFFEE THIS MORNING AND I LOVE IT! COFFEE IS YUM. I HAD SOME JUST NOW AND I MAY NOT SLEEP LATER 0_0**

**it was decaf by the way, just saying. Since i seem to be getting so many views i want to promote my favorite story's on fanfiction. there is 'skulduggery skits' by 'royal type', and then 'Pleasantly raising cain' and 'Hunt of the dead men' by 'Deadgirl19'. both 'pleasantly raising Cain' and 'Skulduggery skits' are both drabbles and are both very very funny. 'Hunt of the dead men' is a story in which the dead men have been blamed for not stopping Darquesse and they are being hunted by the sanctuary. all thoose story's are awesome and i encourage you to read them.**

**Thank you so much for all your veiws and lovely reveiws! Shout out to Sage Chia, you made me want to post more chapters just to see your reviews. please review and give ideas if you have any. even giving me new characters. i will be sure to add them in if i can.**


	19. She's back

Valkyrie woke and looked up at the ceiling of the medical bay. Ivy hadn't been too keen on her leaving, even during the night. Alice went back to Skulduggery's house and they were staying there for the night. Valkyrie looked over and peeked at Ivy's watch. It was around Quarter past four. She sighed and rolled out of bed. The medical staff had brought a ben in just for Valkyrie because Ivy had to stay overnight. Valkyrie walked out of the room and down the hall in search of a bathroom. She found one and when she was washing her hands she looked up in the mirror and saw the last person she had wanted to see. Valkyrie gasped and turned, and there she was. Valkyrie didn't want a repeat of last time so instead she decided to not even try talking.

"Hello" she grinned. Valkyrie just stared. "Good to see you again. I actually didn't come 'round for a chat this time. This time I came for answers, for information. I see your good friends with Abigail.

"It's Ivy now" Valkyrie managed to say. She nodded.

"Of course, Ivy. What a beautiful and interesting name. Do you know where she got it from?" Valkyrie shook her head. "One question first. What's that vine up the side of your house? The one leading up to the spare bedroom window? Wisteria is it?"

"Ivy" Valkyrie told her, then froze a moment after. She grinned.

"Again, interesting." Her image flickered for a moment. She frowned. "Darn. I have to go now, but I'll be seeing you soon. Very, very soon." And with one last grin…

… Darquesse disappeared


	20. In control again

**Thank you all for your wonderful reveiws. Specificly Royal type and Saige Chia. **

**I would love to add your character. I have another character in mind also so i'll add yours in when i get around to adding mine. Would you like any specifics on looks personality, etc? I will try my very best to make the charecter right. Okay, on with the story!**

Darquesse opened her eyes and grinned. In control again. She took a deep breath and sat up. Luckily Valkyrie was still gone. She couldn't stop smiling. She was in control for the first time in Thirteen years. Now, finally, she could cause the havoc she had always wanted. She had never gotten that fan with Valkyrie. Darquesse climbed out of the bed and looked down at herself. _Damn_ She looked around and spotted her new armoured clothes. She changed and set off, leaving through the hidden door she had previously found. Wandering through Roarhaven, Darquesse frowned. Wonder If I could fly? She thought. I should be able to. She put her hands by her sides and moved them a moment. The air gently lifted her off the ground and she grinned as she flew over the streets of Roarhaven. Darquesse left town and she didn't know where she was when she found a live bar with men drinking on the curb outside and inevitably others drinking inside. She touched down behind the bar just before a middle aged man wandered down the allyway. He stopped suddenly and grinned.

"What is someone as young as you doing all alone this time of night?" Then Darquesse suddenly remembered, she was in a thirteen year old body. Darquesse frowned, she knew this man. She had seen him before. At least, Ivy had seen him before, back when she was Abbi. She saw him exiting the sanctuary. This man was a sorcerer. Darqesse ginned, this was going to be fun.

Darqesse sighed as she flew over streets and buildings once again. After her fun with the sorcerer outside the bar she found a couple other mortals and they tragically died in front of her. Darquesse grinned at the memory. She saw light and grass, a public park, but more than that. A person stood in the centre of the grass, staring and unmoving. Darquesse landed silently behind her.

"Hello" She said to the woman. She jerked round, eyes wide.

"Uh… Hello?" Darquesse grinned.

"Whats your name?"

"Uh…" Darquesse tilted her head innocently. She really liked being thirteen. "Hope. What's yours?"

"Ivy" The woman smiled at her.

"What a beautiful name."

"Do you want to know a secret?" Hope blinked in surprise.

"Um, okay" Darquesse leaned in close and whispered her answer.

"Do you know of magic?" Hope narrowed her eyes.

"You're a sorcerer?" Darquesse grinned.

"More than that" She floated up until she was taller than hope. Her eyes widened.

"How can you-" Then hope's eyes widened further as she realised. "No, you can't be"

"Oh, I am. I'm the one they're all afraid of. The one in all the visions."

"Darquesse" And so Darquesse proceeded to kill her. She was halfway through pulling of her second arm when she felt something stir in her head. It was like a second pair of eyes opening, and then the screaming started. Darquesse stumbled away, hands to her head. She made her way slowly, stumbling, down the street until eventually the pain and screaming in her head was too much. Darquesse fell on her hands and knees, and something flicked a switch in her head…

… then Ivy lay on the cold concrete, shivering and covered in blood.


	21. Found her

Ivy lay on the cold concrete, shivering and covered in blood. What had she just done? And what was that name she had told the woman she was? Ivy's eyes widened. Darquesse. She was inside her. Ivy was going down the same path Valkyrie did, thirteen years ago. But darquesse was stronger this time, and Ivy was weaker than Valkyrie. Ivy stood, still shaking and pulled her coat tight around her. As she began to walk through the streets, looking for Roarhaven, it began to rain. Ivy sighed. She zipped up her coat and stuffed her hands deep into her pockets. She frowned. What was that in her pockets? She pulled something out of her left pocket and something in her right too. She examined then as she continued to walk. One looked like just a bundle of material, But… It was a hood. Ivy smiled weakly. Valkyrie had always thought about asking for a hood. Ivy now had a detachable hood for her jacket. She managed to get it on and pulled it over her head. Ivy then checked the rest. Black gloves. Seamless and awesome. A mask, just like Valkyire's. She put the gloves and mask back in her pocket and cursed quietly when she saw the blood still on her hands. Ivy stopped walking and looked around. There were no bathrooms or faucets nearby. The best thing she saw was a large puddle halfway down an allyway. She dashed over and washed her hands and then washed her hood and pockets out. Then she rinsed her gloves and mask. She pulled on the gloves and left, walking faster.

Back at the medical facility an hour earlier.

Valkyrie contemplated the possibilities in her head as she was heading back to Ivy's room. She looked up and saw Ivy's empty bed. Valkyrie froze. Where was Ivy. She certainly wouldn't wander around looking for her, would she? Valkyrie dashed out and left the medical bay. Standing in the old cinema, she dialled skulduggery.

"hello?" Alice answered sleepily.  
"Is skulduggery there?"

"he's sle- meditating"

"wake him up"

"kay" There was a russle and hushed words before skulduggery's voice came on.

"What's wrong?"

"she's gone" Silence on the other end of the line.

"I'll be there as soon as possible." Dial tone. Valkyrie put her phone away and re-entered the medical bay to search. Even if Ivy had left, she wouldn't be that far yet. Skulduggery would find her.

About two hours later.

Skulduggery strode back to the front of the medical bay. By the door that led to the old cinema entrance. He and Valkyrie had agreed to meet once they finished searching their half of the large building. They had double searched everywhere and not yet found Ivy. Skulduggery sighed when he saw Valkyrie and Alice standing at the door with no Ivy.

"What now?" Alice asked.

"I search Roarhaven while you and Valkyrie check Haggard. After that we fan out and check every corner of the world until we find her." Alice gulped. The group exited into the cinema, then left the cinema. Ivy was standing right in front of them, about to open the door.


	22. No more tests

"Um, hi?" Skulduggery grabbed her arm and they all headed right back inside. Valkyrie saw Ivy's face as she gulped. She could tell she was in trouble. Skulduggery led them back to Ivy's room and closed the door.

"What were you doing." He asked in his dangerous voice. Ivy looked terrified. She looked at Valkyrie. Valkyrie stared at her a moment, and her eyes widened.

"Can I talk to Valkyrie" She asked shakily. Alice and Skulduggery were both looking at her.

"Can I talk to Ivy alone please?" Skulduggery hesitated, then nodded. He guided Alice out with him. Valkyrie sighed.

"was it- … was it.. her?" Ivy looked at the floor, then nodded. "oh my god…" Ivy looked up at Valkyrie, tears in her eyes.

"I need your help."

Valkyrie nodded after a moment.

"of course"

"Do you know how to get rid of her?" Valkyrie hesitated. Ivy's eyes widened. "Do you?" Valkyrie sighed.

"We got rid of her last time, but she probably knows how we did it and she can protect herself from it now. If we're going to get rid of her we need to find another strategy." Ivy's eyes teared up again and she looked down. "Let's go get skulduggery" Ivy's head shot up, her eyes wide and she gripped Valkyrie's arm.

"Don't tell skulduggery" Ivy pleaded.

"But-"

"He found another way when you were Darquesse because he couldn't kill you. He loved you too much. He thinks nothing of me. He'll just kill me." A stray tear trickled down Ivy's face. Valkyrie stepped closer and brushed it away. "please" Valkyrie nodded.

"We'll do this together."

"Forever?" She nodded again.

"Together, forever." Ivy wiped her eyes for a moment and let go of Valkyries arm. She grabbed Ivy's hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. They stepped out into the corridoors.

"No more tests" Valkyrie told her partner. Skulduggery turned.

"What?"

"We need to get to work, and we need all the help we can get." Valkyrie glanced at her sister and saw her look away. Skulduggery stood, tense. But he knew how stubborn Valkyrie was. He'd known it since she was twelve. He sighed.

"Let's go then" He took off down the hall and the rest of the group followed him outside to the car.


	23. The force field

Skulduggery made some calls in the car, arranging for people to meet him at the edge of Roarhaven. Ivy lost track of the calls. A few of them declined. Valkyrie seemed disappointed when she heard who, but Ivy had never heard of them. When they pulled up at the force field there were already people there. Ivy only remembered the discriptions of a few of the dead men, but they were all there. She saw Anton shudder. Strange, Ivy would've thought he'd stay at the hotel instead. Ghastly bespoke. He looked better. Dexter vex, he has a nice car. And then there was Saracen Rue who she had never seen before. Ivy sighed realizing she had forgotten most of the names. Stupid brain. She got out of the car and moved immediantly to Valkyrie's side. She saw out of the corner of her eye Alice stepped around the car and walked over to skulduggery. Ivy then noticed Tanith, by her bike, China, already working on the force field and Fletcher appeared just as she looked. Dexter stopped leaning on his car but as he was walking over Ivy heard a muffled bang and the car rocked. Ivy frowned.

"Uh, Dexter. Is there an animal or something in your car?" Dexter frowned at Ivy and turned. The car rocked again. He stepped toward his car and opened the back seat door in a quick, swift motion and a young boy fell right out. He must have been leaning against the door. Dexter sighed as the boy sat up. Ivy's eyes widened. He was the same boy who had been watching her at the underground warehouse. When he looked up it was easy to tell he knew that too. He stared at her for a moment before Dexter started talking.

"My god, Parker" he said. "I know you wanted to come but when I said no, I meant no." _Parker_ Ivy thought, _his name is Parker_. Dexter helped him up and sighed again.

"As soon as this is finished you are going right back. Parker grinned and nodded.

"For sure" They walked over and everyone grouped up except for China. She glanced up but continued to work on her sigils. Parker sent a cheeky grin towards Ivy. She held back a blush and looked toward skulduggery as he started to talk.

"Does everyone know why they are here?" he asked. Everyone nodded and called out yesses except for Parker who shouted no.

"Well Parker, you are here because, like Valkyrie, you listen to nothing you're told." Valkyrie scowled.

"I'll do what you tell me, as long as you have a good reason why I should." Skulduggery sighed and continued.

"We are all here to debunk the mystery of the Roarhaven forcefield"

"So, basically, we're going to figure out why the force field is here." Ivy specified. After she spoke, a few of the confused people nodded. China stood up straight and turned, glaring at her.

"Who gave _you_ authority to speak?" She asked, her words dripping with venom. Ivy glared back.

"Me" That just worsened the situation. China stepped forward and several of the dead men stood between the two. China's glare turned to them for a moment, before returning to Ivy.

"I know a little thing or two about you. I know who you are Ivy. Following in Valkyrie's footsteps are we?" China smiled at Ivy's shocked face. "You may forget Ivy, I know everything" China leaned down to where her sigils were carved into the stone they were standing on. She tapped a few in a very specific order and a section of the force field retracted. She turned to skulduggery.

"you know how to open it from the other side. You might want to go now, that will only stay open a few minutes. Any more than that could alert whoever set it up." China then turned back to Ivy and the venom in her voice returned.

"I know everything there is to know about you, and there is still more to learn." She smiled a threatening kind of smile. "I like to keep up to date with people." She tried to hide her glare not very well and got in her car and drove away. While everyone gathered up their last few supplies, Ivy stared after the car. Valkyrie returned to her side with a bag resting on her back.

"I don't like her." Ivy decided. Valkyrie nodded.

"Okay then." She passed Ivy her own bag. She put it on and they entered the force field, sticking close to Valkyrie and Skulduggery, who, in her opinion, were the safest people in the group. They began walking towards the sanctuary from there.

"Are we there yet?" Ivy asked a moment later.

"Do _not_ start that" Skulduggery growled. Valkyrie grinned.


	24. The entrence

"Are we there yet?"

"No" Skulduggery answered immediately, for the thousandth time.

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are w-"

"NO! NO,NO,NO AND A MILLION TIMES **NOOOOOOOO!**" Ivy frowned.

"Fine over dramatic much"

"Does it look like we're there?!" Ivy squinted into the distance.

"Yes" Skulduggery sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Wait a second" Valkyrie added, "We are" Skulduggery looked up.

"Oh thank god" He walked faster and when they got close enough skulduggery veered off to the side and they stayed in the back alleys from then on. He lead the group up to the back of the sanctuary building and he began running his hand against the wall. Not even having to ask what he was doing, Ivy helped him feel for hidden doors or passageways. After a moment an image flashed through Ivy's mind. A picture of a tree, with someone pushing down a section of bark and it was caving in. The image was gone as fast as it had appeared, but Ivy got a good enough view of it. That was her hand. She turned, ever so slowly, to the next building behind her, and walked over enough to see down the next alleyway. A forest lay beyond. Ivy followed down the alleyway and toward a familiar looking tree. She reached out, and someone's hand gripped her shoulder. Ivy cried out and the person turned her, then Valkyrie was right in front of her, asking what the hell she was doing. Ivy shook her hand off and pressed on the bark of the tree she had seen. It gave way and a tunnel opened at their feet. Valkyrie stared a moment before calling the others over and showing then the tunnel. Ivy inwardly cringed. Great, now she'd have to explain to everyone how she knew exactly where the panel was.

Luckily, no one asked. A few of them frowned at her and Parker looked in disbelief at her and the tunnel. Ivy faked a quick smile and followed Valkyrie into the tunnel. It was dark. Of course, most were. It was dark and cold and long. Fingers were clicked in the darkness and a flame flared up in the hands of all the elementals in the group. Ivy concentrated and clicked her own fingers. She watched the flame for a moment making sure it wouldn't go out. When she looked up Parker was looking between his hand and hers, trying to click his fingers. Ivy turned away to hide her grin. She was Actually cooler than someone here.

"Are we there yet?"


	25. pairing up

**so so so so ****_soo _****sorry! i miss updating so i decided to do that for you today! **

It took about ten minutes to until the tunnel filled with light and opened in an abandoned storage room. About three minutes in Parker finally gave up on clicking his fingers and stared in wonder at Ivy's flame for the rest of the time. The group snuck in and skulduggery signalled to split up. Dexter and Saracen went off in one direction (**Don't anyone even ****_dare_**** mentioning this**), Ivy grinned, Sexter was true. Ghastly and Tanith went another way. Shudder set off and Fletcher followed, insisting he could help. Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Alice and Ivy started down the same hall until they came across a different doorway. The hall continued on from there so they split soundlessly. Ivy caught a glare from Alice and frowned. What was wrong with her. She turned and noticed Parker following them. He looked terrified, his eyes were wide and his hair was turning blue. Ivy met his eye and tapped her head before turning back. She heard him gasp behind her as he saw the colour of his hair.

Valkyrie stopped, tilted her head and turned, putting a finger to her lips before sneaking silently forward. She peaked around a corner and watched silently for a moment, then she turned and ushered them back down the hall. "Ivy, I have to go do something for a second, alone" Ivy's eyes widened. "What?!" she whispered harshly back. "No, you can't leave me you can't.. What if she comes back?" Parker looked puzzled. "She? Who is she?" He asked, but was ignored. "Sorry ivy but I have to. I will only be five minutes at the most. I promise." Ivy was freaking out and she looked like she might cry. "Hey" Valkyrie said, putting a hand on her shoulders. I'll be back soon. Until then, be quiet, stay out of sight and watch out for the rest of the group." Ivy took a deep breath and nodded. Valkyrie went to leave but turned back. "Oh, and Ivy?" "Yeah?" "Take care of Parker" She gave a wink and a grin and disappeared around a corner. The hall was silent for a moment and Ivy wondered what to do. "What's that supposed to mean?" Parker asked.

Ivy decided to continue on ahead. Why does she have to listen to Valkyrie anyway? It's not like she ever listened to Skulduggery and she's still alive. Valkyrie had been putting herself in danger since she was twelve. Ivy was already a year older than that and she already had her magic to use. But she still waited a little longer. They stayed in that hall, waiting for a while. No one passed. Parker checked his watch and froze. "Um." He said. "Ivy?" She turned. "Hmm?" "Well, don't panic or anything but… it's been about ten minutes since she left." He meant Valkyrie. "Why would I panic?" She asked casually, pushing off from the wall. She stalked silently down the hall and peeked around the corner. Empty. She glanced back at Parker, he looked worried. "But she said to-" "Shut up Parker" She hissed. "do you want someone to find us? I don't care what she said. She may be in danger." Parker gulped and his hair was steadily turning blue again. Ivy glaced around the corner again and dashed to the nearest doorway. She peeked in and then glanced down the rest of the hall. Parker followed.

Ivy continued this, looking in all the doors, checking hallways before continuing. Parker began to check doors across the hall while Ivy continued down her side. She suddenly paused, voices. Ivy dashed across the hall as parker was just about to check a doorway and held him back. She put a finger to her lips and slowly peeked in. She jerked back as a figure in the room turned. He didn't see her, but she saw him, and she also saw Valkyrie behind him on the floor passed out.


	26. The not-so dramatic rescue

**too lazy to edit, wrote this earlier tonight, tired don't judge please. **

The voices continued, there must have also been someone else in the room. One of the voices seemed to get further away for a moment before approaching the door. The terrified thirteen year olds ran, down the hall and round the corner. After a moment Ivy risked a peek, the man she had seen was now walking the opposite direction down the hall carrying Valkyrie. Her eyes opened slightly and Ivy motioned for her to keep quiet. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes again. The man disappeared down the hall and Ivy waited a moment before following. She quickly passed the doorway he had been in so whoever the other man was wouldn't notice her. She followed him, keeping well behind until she saw him enter a different room. Ivy Dialled Skulduggery and hoped his phones ringtone was quiet. "Hello?" he whispered. "We have a situation." "What now?" Ivy filled him in on what had happened. Skulduggery sighed. "Even you don't listen to what you're told." Ivy scowled. "Back up por favour?" "Okay, stay there. I'll be there shortly. Do not get any closer or try to be a hero." "I'm sorry, I don't listen to what I'm told." Ivy retorted before sharply hanging up. She turned to Parker. "He said to go in and have a go with the guy and he'd show up in a bit." Parker raised an eyebrow. "No he didn't" Ivy glared. "It's not like you'd listen to him either way." "Fine"

They approached the door and peeked in. Valkyrie was tied up and sitting across from the man who, judging by his body language seemed quite agitated. Valkyrie was awake with a look of fake confusion on her face. "Come on" The man growled. "You can't tell me you came here alone. Everyone knows you never separate from that skeleton without some other kind of back up. I know all about your two young apprentices. As if they wouldn't want to come too?" Ivy hid in the shadows and watched quite amused. "No, they were too scared and Skulduggery had to keep an eye on them at home." Ivy scowled and decided this was a good time for her dramatic entrance. "As if" She huffed emerging far from the doorway. The man looked up and frowned. "so you brought one little teenager? How terrifying." Parker stepped out from the other side of the room. "Just give us a chance." He said, making the man turn. "We can be" He scoffed. "Yeah right, you're so scary." "How about me? Came the voice of the skeleton detective. Ivy suddenly saw him at the door and the man turned. "Am I scary?"

Ivy surveyed the scene before her. The man was panicking, Parker looked unsure of what to do and Skulduggery was just standing there, a smirking Alice at his side. Valkyrie though, she seemed to be enjoying this immensely. She was grinning at the panicked man and trying to hold back her laughter. Ivy strode over and untied her while Skulduggery got to work on the paniky guy. When Ivy was finished so was Skulduggery. They cuffed him with his own cuffs and left in search of the others.


	27. Sound the alarm

p class="MsoNormal"When they regrouped with the dead men they had been so close to the exit when voices rang out down the hall. Ivy went cold. They had found the paniky guy passed out. Half of them quickly entered the nearest door while the other half turned a corner and continued another way. Ivy spotted a large pile of papers and examined them while the others made sure the door was closed and the sorcerers passed. Ivy grinned. "These look important." She muttered. Valkyrie was suddenly beside her. "What?" "Take these" Ivy handed her a stack of papers and passed more out to the others. "Why?" they all asked. "Well" Ivy began. "It seems obvious that the sanctuary has turned against us somehow so why not cause some chaos while we're here. Plus, we have a spy within us. When Valkyrie went off alone Parker and I followed after a while and that paniky guy was talking to someone else. I haven't met him, I know that much. Don't ask me how but I just know he is a dead man. I Risked the quickest peek when I passed the door and at first I thought I hadn't seen anyone but I then realised something… I had seen him, I just couldn't remember him."/p 


	28. The battle

Everyone stared at her. "The man with the golden eyes?" Valkyrie whispered. Ivy nodded. "So he is a dead man?" "Sure of it" Before they had a chance to think about their new clues a loud shill siren rang out through the entire sanctuary. Someone had sounded the alarm. Everyone in the sanctuary would either be leaving or searching for them. The group grabbed their papers and ran down the halls. No one would really assume the running was them, it could be any panicked sorcerer trying to escape the building. But what they hadn't been counting on was who else would be looking for them. Cleavers. Their group included Ivy, Alice, Valkyrie, Skulduggery, Tanith and Dexter. Would they be able to beat all of the cleavers in the sanctuary including any of the sorcerers that happened to show up? Ivy kept the thought to herself but, as they approached the exit, it happened. They were surrounded. Roarhaven sorcerers blocked the exit. The group turned to run and were blocked off by twenty or thirty cleavers. Everyone dropped the papers they were holding. Both ends began to close in. The group pulled together in a tight circle, all facing outwards. "I guess this is going to be a fight?" Alice asked fearfully. "I suppose" Ivy added "But, we'll be okay, we have the best sorcerers in the world on our side." "like who?" "Tanith low and the dead men numbskull!" "Right"

And the battle begun.

It was, of course, Tanith who struck first. Neither the sorcerers nor the cleavers had noticed Tanith on the roof, creeping towards the cleaver's end. Now the circle had to go for the sorcerers closing in for the other side. Ivy had an idea. She could use magic, but that was long range and anyone here could beat her in hand to hand combat. So she retreated into the circle and pulled Alice in after her. The rest of the dead men closed the circle around them. "Alice, you need to learn some magic" Ivy said quickly. "What?! Now?" "Yes, now, we have no time. Click you fingers." Alice did so. "Nothing is happening!" "Keep trying! Do you think Valkyrie would have given up? Do you think I gave up?" no matter how much she hated her, Ivy had to add the next one. She was practicly Alices idol in the book. "Do you think China would have given up?" Alice stared at her, new hope in her eyes. She focoused back on her hand and clicked her fingers hard. Sparks flew.

Valkyrie's pov.

As the battle was about to begin Ivy squeezed into the circle and pulled Alice in after her. Good idea, Valkyrie thought. She moved slightly as the rest of the men closed the circle. "Protect the girls" she whispered to Skulduggery. He nodded and passed the messege to the rest. There was a commotion over in the cleavers, must be Tanith, and the first sorcerer struck. He came towards her, snarling but it was easy to get him down, one punch to the nose and blood started out immediantly. He fell to his knees, more out of shock than out of pain. She gave a swift knee to his face and he fell to the ground, out cold. As the rest of the sorcerers flew in for battle Fireballs flew out of the circle, attaching themselves to the sorcerers clothing. Screams echoed the hall, sirens still sounded and the battle with the cleavers behind her intensified. Clicks and clangs of connecting swords and scythes. Suddenly, the circle broke. Valkyrie wasn't so sure what had happened, but Dexter fell and the girls screamed and skulduggery finished off one of the sorcerers and turned to the cleavers. Valkyrie held off the sorcerers and saw Ivy sneak off behind them. She sent a gush of air and almost all of them toppled over. She then began sending fireballs wildly into the mess. And someone next to Valkyrie was doing the same. She looked down and saw Alice by her side. It was her sister, and she was in a sorcerer fight, she was using magic. Valkyrie had never been so terrified or so proud in her entire life.

Alice and Valkyrie continued until the sorcerers were all gone. Knocked out or either dead. Of course most of the latter was skulduggery. Ivy was gone. The sisters turned and saw her with Tanith and Skulduggery. She was helping in a very careful matter. Adding a kick here or an elbow there to distract them while Tanith worked with her sword. A cleaver suddenly lunged at Ivy and Valkyrie and Skulduggery were in the way almost immediantly. Two left, the one Tanith was on and the one that they were on themselves. Valkyrie felt the air shift and the cleavers legs fell out from under him. Valkyrie turned, expecting Ivy but instead seeing Alice behind her, hands still out and grinning. Ivy did the same thing to Tanith's cleaver and soon they were standing alone in a hall filled with bodies of cleavers and sorcerers alike. Valkyrie bent down next to Dexter, he looked mostly fine, his nose was bleeding and he had a cut on his lower arm, tearing through his shirt. He was not going to be happy about that. "Let's go" Skulduggery told them. "The others are probably already out." Everyone exchanged nods, someone woke Dexter and they left before anyone else came.

After the group left the sanctuary they met up with the rest of the dead men, Fletcher and Parker at the edge of the force field. They split up at the cars and Saracen went with Dexter, taking Parker with them, Tanith on her bike, Ghastly in his van and Skulduggery took the girls back to his house. Ivy watched out the back window as Tanith followed them back to the house. Ivy then realised something, five days ago she had been living a normal life in the hopes of this and now she had it. She had just been in her first real fight without any real training, and now she was heading back to Skulduggery's house for like the fifth time already. This was her dream come true. While some girls dreamed of being a princess, having a rich father or a boyfriend, Ivy had been dreaming of being a sorcerer, getting into fights and becoming one of the infamous Irish detectives. Yep, she was quite peculiar.

**Hello! Okay, i'm not so sure because it looks different from the actual page to the document manager, i'm hoping that this chapter was longer than the others. I try to give you longer chapters but i like cliffhangers and i have lots in a row sometimes. Reveiw if you like longer or shorter chapters and i'll try my best. i will try to start replies on these chapters and maybe dedications soon but i'll need reviews for that! Hope you like the new chapter, sorry for the wait.**

**-Iris**


	29. liberated papers discovery

**Well, here you go, for missing (i dont know how many) updates, i'm giving you a double, possibly triple chapter here. i'm going to start something new now. i am going to add a theme song for each chapter because lots of songs give me inspiration for these chapters. my family and i are packing now and we are leaving my grandma's (my wifi source) for a while. I don't know what theme to use for this chapter yet so im going to do a rough one. The theme is Monster by skillet.**

Valkyrie stole Skulduggery's keys and let everyone in before he even noticed. It was quite amusing. The girls, Skulduggery and Tanith wordlessly moved to the living room and started sorting through the papers they had, 'liberated'. They found nothing, just the usual. Some small arrests, one prison escape, no name of the fugitive and then some boing things like the meetings they were supposed to go to. Then there was the few about things like the force field. Documents that were supposed to reach the Grand mage about the force field being up. Valkyrie sighed. "This is impossible!" she grumbled. "I'm with you there." Ivy added, setting down her papers. "Tea anyone?" there were nods and mumbled replies and Skulduggery stared at her with what would have been a raised eyebrow expression. "Not you" Ivy frowned, leaving for the kitchen.

Ivy filled and boiled the kettle while Valkyrie gathered and readied the cups. Ivy hauled herself up onto the bench while Valkyrie poured the drinks. "can i.. ask you a question?" Ivy asked tenativly. "You already are" was her response. "No, I mean another one." "fire away" Ivy hesitated. "How did it feel? What was it like? I mean… Darquesse?" Valkyrie froze. She put the kettle down and turned to her. "Well, it was like… it was like having two minds in one, but like, sharing our thoughts. Just imagine this, twins share berooms sometimes, and if they share this bedroom it's almost impossible to keep anything a secret from them. Especially if she's looking over your shoulder all the time." Ivy thought about this for a moment. "So, she was like, looking over your shoulder?" Valkyrie nodded. "Pretty much, yeah." "did she, like.. come out a lot?" Valkyrie thought for a moment. "She talked a whole lot, everyone knew what she was going to do, So Skulduggery and I were working pretty had to get rid of her. She got out once, then it was our main priority. We got her out eventually." Ivy nodded. "How long ago?" "About five days before Alice was born." Ivy froze for a moment and slowly slid off the bench. "Five days?" "yes" "Do you know what time?" Valkyrie frowned. "Probably around half past one." "AM?" "PM" Ivy looked like she was about to feint." "oh god…" She muttered. "Oh… my… god.." Valkyrie looked thoroughly worried by then. "What is it?" Ivy looked right up into her eyes, horror in her own. "That is the exact time I was born."

Valkyrie quickly developed the same look Ivy had. "No joke?" Ivy shook her head. "No joke. When I was born I died, for about a minute, the doctors were just about to give up when my heart suddenly started beating. They said it was a miracle, it had never happened before." Ivy looked down at the floor. "Maybe it was her." Valkyrie was still too shocked to say a word. She couldn't believe it, Darquesse must have been expelled from her body instead of killed. So when Ivy had been born, already dead Darquesse took this as an opportunity to live. "Hey, Val?" Alice called from the lounge. "Tea ready yet?"

More searching, nothing found, it got dark. Tanith left and Valkyrie took the girls back to her house for the night. Over there they could each have their own beds. The trio watched a movie in bed until one by one they drifted off. Valkyrie, being the last awake, turned the TV off and went to sleep herself.

Running through the streets of Dublin it occoured to Ivy that she had no idea what she was running from, but she knew it was bad, and it was after her. She eventually found cematary road and entered the only residientional block there. The door had been unlocked. She searched the lounge, the kitchen, Valkyrie's room, bathroom, every room in the house. No one was there. Lights flickered and went out and Ivy was left in the darkness. She fled the house through the back door and ran to Valkyrie's mansion. It looked… different. There were many scratches on the polished wood of the porch, the roof tilings looked crooked and the windows and doors were dark and musty like an old haunted house. Valkyrie would never let it look like this, neither would Skulduggery. Ivy entered slowly, the front door creaked open and she looked around. It looked the same on the inside. Every painting on the wall in the hall were either smashed crooked or on the floor. Ivy made her way upstairs, trying not to think about what could have caused this mess. It looked like a fight had been here, and not a Valkyrie against Scapegrace fight, not even Valkyrie against Sanguine or anything. It looked like… like... Darquesse against Lord Vile. Ivy tried her best to remove the thought from her mind but it just stayed, so she walked through Valkyrie's trashed house, looking for any sign of life. She ventured into the main bedroom and then wished she hadn't. Valkyrie lay on the bed, motionless, but not asleep Ivy knew that. She swallowed hard. This can't be real. Then she saw something in the mirror, it looked just like Valkyrie, could it be the reflection? Ivy moved toward the mirror and the figure looked at her and disappeared. But it was still there, behind the first one was the same thing. Ivy walked forward and it mimicked her movements exactly. She froze, it can't be. She reached out and touched the mirror, the figure copied. But it couldn't be her, it was Valkyrie. Ivy looked down at her hands, at the ground, looked at herself as much as she could. I couldn't be, she was all grown up, Vals age probably. She looked back at the mirror. This was her, she looked just like Valkyrie. Ivy realised something, she turned slowly, and made her way to the bed. The body had looked like Valkyrie, but, Ivy reached out slowly and pulled up a sleeve slightly. There it was, Ivy had a scar, just a little one on her arm. She had burned herself there when she was eleven. It had faded, but it was there. This body was her. Laughter behind her, she turned. The figure in the mirror, herself, it was still there, it looked like she was still standing right in front of the mirror. It was laughing at her. This was just getting weirder and scarier by the second. And more impossible.

"What did you think would happen?" The figure asked in a cold voice. It sounded like her, but… evil. "Come on now," It continued. "You can't really be that surprised." It looked like it wanted an answer. "I… don't know" Was all Ivy said. "What happened." Then it seemed to realise something. "Oh" it said grinning. "Your not up to this bit yet. You just wait, watch what happens." The grin widened. "It's the best part."

Everything stopped, disappeared and Ivy sat bolt upright in Valkyrie's bed. It took her a moment to realise what had happened. It was all a dream, she had been asleep at Valkyrie's house the whole time. She turned and nearly fell out of the bed when she saw the mirror. It was fine, the figure in the mirror was her, in the bed far away. Ivy then realised that the other girls were gone. She hoped to not have a repeat of that bed and got out of bed to look for them. They were downstairs in front of the tv with bowls of cereal. Alice was the first to look up, she smiled at Ivy. "Hey, sleepyhead. Come join us, grab a bowl." Ivy made her breakfast and sat down beside her friends. It was a dream, everything was okay, for now, but… what it had said she would never forget, 'watch what happens, it's the best part.'


	30. Preparing the armies

**I have so totally forgot to write this! Okay, Iris Vhia, i like your idea and your character is breifly introduced in an already pre-written chapter on my laptop. she will come more into the story later. as for your story plan, love it but that was actually my original plan for this story. i've been trying to work at it since i began this story. again, it's in the pre-written chapters. **

**Theme song: This is war, Thirty seconds to Mars.**

**Hope you like!**

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After breakfast the normal part of their day had, sadly, ended. Skulduggery picked them up and Ivy rifled through the liberated papers in the back on the way to the underground warehouse. She suddenly frowned and held up a page. "Uh, guys I think I found something." Valkyrie turned. "What is it?" Ivy peered at it and read it best she could. "Well, I'm not sure but… it looks like…" Ivy frowned again. "I think this is requests from other sanctuaries." Now it was Valkyrie's turn to frown. "What did they ask for?" Ivy seemed to pale. "100 cleavers, a bunch of random things from the repository and as many sorcerers as they can send." Even Skulduggery glanced back at this. "What?" Ivy scanned the faces in the car, "This is more than enough for an army. One that might even be enough to take down the dead men" Skulduggery pulled over and held out his hand for the page. Ivy gave it to him. Skulduggery shook his head. "No, not the dead men. This is enough to take down Darquesse." He didn't seem to notice Ivy pale even more or how worried Valkyrie looked. "Well" he said, handing the page back to Ivy. "Then I guess we'd better prepare _our_ army." He pulled onto the road and Valkyrie called in the dead men.

Valkyrie organised for the dead men to meet them at the underground warehouse. Some were already there. The Bentley stopped and the group descended the stairs into the main room. The energy seemed much more alive than last time Ivy had been here. Everyone seemed more excited than scared and there were stations set up with other sorcerers to practice and control different aspects of elemental and adept magic.

Ivy stared in wonder out at the large crowd of thirteen year-olds from all around the world. This was the next generation of magic, and she was one of them. This was literally Ivy's dream come true. The dead men were gathered by the door and the group joined. Skulduggery and Valkyrie filled them in on what they knew. "How do we know they intend to use this 'army' on us?" Saracen asked. "Don't ask us" Valkyrie said. "Ivy discovered all of this" The whole group turned to Ivy. "What?" was her first reply. "Anyway" Valkyrie continued, "She explained to me exactly how she came to that conclusion and it seems pretty legit." The group exchanged unsure glances but Valkyrie and skulduggery seemed pretty sure that Ivy's assumption had been accurate.

Someone from the crowd walked up and stopped beside them. "Hey" Parker grinned. "No" everyone said together. He scowled. "They get to, why not me?" He complained gesturing to Ivy and Alice. Valkyrie looked at him for a moment. "Because they know what's going on and they already know how to use their magic. All you know is you can change the colour of your hair." He scowled again. Someone else approached from the crowd. "Parker" she called. "I thought I told you to stay away from these guys, they're busy." The girl then turned to the group.

"Sorry about him" she said. "I know you probably need to do a lot recently, what with us and the thing with the sanctuary and all." Ivy frowned, this girl was obviously thirteen but how did she know about the sanctuary? She suddenly smiled into the group. "Hey Dex" she grinned. He returned the smile. "Hey Iris" The group stared at him. He didn't seem to notice. "Well I'll take Parker with me so you guys can get back to work." The girl, Iris said bye and vanished into the crowd taking Parker with her. The group resumed staring at Dexter until he noticed. "What?" he asked. "She wanted to know why we looked so busy everytime we came in. Parker is the only one she knows and he spends all his time here using every training station a hundred times to figure out what kind of magic he has. She had no one else to talk to."

"Okay," Skulduggery took the attention back. "It looks like we'll need to move the lessons from control to practice and accuracy." Ivy stared at him. "What are we going to do?" Skulduggery hesitated. "Prepare our army"

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**P.s. before i wrote this, this chapter was exactly 800 words. Just had to say that...**


	31. (Authors note) Cancelled

I'm so sorry to those who read and enjoy this fanfic and i am especially sorry to any of those who think this will be another chapter and gets exited because you haven't seen one in a while. I'm am going to have to tell you that i am cancelling this fanfic because i have been moving on from Skulduggery Pleasant, if any of my reader like the show Supernatural you can check out my supernatural fan fic but that will probably not be updated either until december. My sencere apoligies to those who spent so long reading these and supporting me, i had so many plans for this fic but i don't enjoy writing these as much as i used to.

Thanks for understanding.

-Iris


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